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S  ALUMNI  LIBRARY, 

I    THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY, 

f"  PRINCETON,- N.  J. 

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EXPOSITION 


EPISTJLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS; 

VITH    THE 

PRELIMINARY    EXERCITATIONS. 
BY    JOHN    OWEN,    D.  D. 

REVISED    AND    ABRIDGED; 


A  FULL  AND  INTERESTING  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR,  A  COPIOUS 
INDEX,  &c. 


BY  EDWARD  WILLIAMS,  D.  D. 


S«urch  the  Scriptures. John  t,  S9. 


IN  FOUR  VOLUMES. 
VOL,  IV. 


BOSTON: 
PRINTED  AND  SOLD  BY  SAMUEL  T.  ARMSTRONG; 

No.   50,   CORNHILL. 

1812. 


AN 

EXPOSITION. 

CHAPTER  X. 

VERSE  1. 

For  the  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  and  not  the 
■very  imagt  oj  the  thiiigs,  can  ne-ver  wick  those  sacrijices  which 
they  offered  year  by  year  continually  make  the  comers  there- 
unto fierfect. 

$1.  A  general  distribution  of  the  chapter     <^2.  The  subject   spoken  of.     §3,   4. 
(I  )  What  is  granted  to  the  law.    §5 — 8,  What  is  denied  it.    §9.    (II,)    Ob- 
servations. 

§1.  There  are  two  parts  of  this  chapter;  the  first 
concerneth  the  necessity  and  efficacy  of  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ,  ver.  1 — 20;  the  other  is  an  improvement  of 
the  doctrine  for  faith,  obedience,  and  perseverance,  ver. 
20—39. 

§2.  "For  the  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come."  The  subject  spoken  of  is  (o  vop-ogy  HTn) 
the  law,  that  is,  the  sacrifices  of  the  law,  especially 
those  which  were  offered  annually  by  a  perpetual  stat-. 
ute,  as  the  words  immediately  following  declare;  but 
he  refers  what  he  speaks  of  to  the  law  itself,  as  that 
whereby  these  sacrifices  were  instituted,  and  upon 
which  depended  all  their  virtue  and  efficacy:  and  tiie 
law  here  is  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  the 
people  at  Sinai,  with  all  the  constitutions  of  worship 
belonging  to  it;  the  first  testament,  as  it  was  the  spring 
of  all  their  religious  privileges,  chap,  vii,  ix.  Concern- 
ing this  law,  or  covenant,  the  apostle  declares  two 
things: — Positively,  and  by  way  of  concession,  "it  had 
a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come:^'^  Negatively,  that 

VOL.    IV.  1 


4  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  i©. 

"it  had  not  the  very  image  of  the  things  themselves;'^ 
whicli  we  must  consider  together,  because  they  mutu- 
ally illustrate  each  other. 

§3.  ^I.)  "Forthelaw  having  a  shadow,"  &c.  These 
expressions  are  meiaphorical  and  have  therefore  giv- 
en occasion  to  various  conjectures  ahout  the  nature  of 
the  allusions,  and  their  application  to  the  present  sub- 
ject. Both  what  is  called  'n  shadotvy  and  "//ie  venj 
image,^''  have  respect  to  the  ''good  things  to  come;" 
wherefore  the  true  notion  of  wliat  tliese  ^'good  things  to 
coiTie,"  are.  will  determine  what  it  is  to  have'a  shadow  of 
them,"  and  "not  the  very  image  of  the  things  them- 
selves." The  good  things  intended  must  be  Christ 
himself,  with  all  the  grace,  mercy,  and  privilegesy 
which  the  church  receiveth  by  his  actual  coming  in 
the  flesh,  and  the  discharge  of  his  office;  for  he  him- 
self, principally  and  evidently,  was  the  subject  of  all 
jjromises;  and  w  hatever  else  is  contained  in  them  is 
but  that  whereof,  in  liis  person,  office,  and  grace,  he 
is  the  author  and  cause:  hence  he  was  signally 
termed  (6  ep%o/xfvo?)  he  u-howas  to  come;  "ait  thou  he 
n'ho  is  to  comeT''  1  John  iv.  3.  And  these  things  are 
called  {ru.  uyci^u)  the  good  things — because  they  are 
absolutely  so  without  any  mixture.  Nothing  is  good, 
either  in  itself,  or  unto  us,  but  what  is  made  so  by 
Christ  and  his  grace;  they  are  the  means  of  our  de- 
liverance from  all  the  evil  things  which  we  had 
brought  upon  ourselves  by  our  apostasy  from  God. 

§4.  These  being  evidently  the  "good  things"  in- 
tended, the  relation  of  the  law  to  them,  that  it  had  the 
shadow,  but  not  the  very  image  of  them,  will  also  be 
apparent.  He  declares  his  iiitei  t on  in  another  paral- 
lel place,  where,  speaking  of  the  s.ime  things,  and  us- 
ing some  of  the  same  words,  their  sense  is  plain  and 
determined;  Col.  ii.  17,  "They  area  shadow  of  things 
to  come,  but  the  body  is  of  Christ."    For  it  is  the 


Ver,  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  ^ 

law,  with  its  ordinances  and  institutions  of  worship, 
concerning  nhich  the  apastle there  discourseth.  Njw 
the  ''shadow"  there  intended,  from  whence  the  allusion 
is  taken,  is  the  shadow  of  a  body  in  the  light  or  sun- 
shine, as  the  aritithesis  requires;  -but  the  body  is  of 
Christ."  Now  such  a  shadow  is  a  representation  of 
the  body;  which  iollows  it  in  all  its  variations,  and  is 
inseparable  from  it.  It  is  a  just  representation  of 
the  body  (if  properly  situated,  and  without  any  acci- 
dental hindrance)  as  to  its  proportion  and  dimensions. 
The  shadow  of  any  body  represents  that  certain  indi- 
vidual body,  and  nothing  else.  Yet  it  is  but  an  ob- 
scure representation  of  the  body;  for  the  vigor  and 
spirit  (the  chief  excellencies  of  a  livmg  b  »dy)  are  not 
represented  by  it.  Thus  it  is  with  the  law,  or  the 
covenant  of  Sinai,  and  all  the  ordinances  of  worship 
wherewith  it  was  attended,  w.th  respect  to  these  good 
things  to  come.  The  opposition  which  the  apostle 
here  makes  is  not  between  the  law  and  the  gospel, 
but  between  the  sacrifices  of  the  law  and  the  sacrijice 
of  Christ  himself;  want  of  this  observation  hath  oiven 
us  mistaken  interpretations  of  the  place.  The  law 
(f%wv)  having  it;  it  was  inlaid  in  it;  it  was  of  the 
substance  and  nature  of  it;  it  contained  it  in  all  that  it 
prescribed  or  appoir.ted;  some  of  it  in  one  part,  some 
in  another,  the  whole  in  the  whole.  It  had  the  whole 
shadow,  and  the  whole  of  it  was  tlus  shadow;  and 
because  they  are  no  more  now  a  shadow  of  Christ  and 
what  belongs  to  him  as  absent,  they  are  absolutely 
dead  and  useless. 

§5.  (11.)  This  being  granted  to  the  law,  what  is 
denied  of  it  is  added,  in  which  consists  the  apostle's  ar- 
gument; it  "had  not  the  very  image  of  the .  things;" 
the  {irpayixalu)  things  are  the  same  with  the  (ru  uya^cc 
li.£Kovlci)  good  things  to  come  before  mentioned.  The 
negation  here  is  of  the  same  subject  as  the  concession 


6  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1© 

was  before;  the  grant  being  in  one  sense  and  the  deni- 
al in  another.  It  had  not  {uvlv\vrviv  umva.  ipsissimam 
rerum  imaginem)  the  very  image  itself;  that  is,  it 
had  not  the  tilings  themselves;  for  he  proves  that  the 
law,  with  all  its  sacrifices,  could  not  take  away  sin, 
nor  perfect  the  church,  because  it  had  not  this  image, 
or  the  things  themselves;  so  the  Syriac  translation 
(ipsam  rem,  or  ipsam  suhstanHam)  the  substa7ice  it- 
self, in  which  sense  the  Greek  word  (emuv)  is  fre- 
quently used  in  the  New  Testament;  Rom.  i,  23,  The 
image  of  the  man  is  the  man  himself 

This  therefore  is  what  the  apostle  denies  concerning 
the  law;  it  had  not  the  actual  accomplishment  of  the 
promise  of  good  things;  it  had  not  Christ  exhibited  in 
thetlesh;  it  had  not  the  true  real  sacrifice  of  the  perfect 
expiation.  It  represented  these  things,  it  was  a  shadow 
of  them;  but  enjoyed  not,  exhibited  not  the  things 
themselves.  Hence  was  its  imperfection  and  weak- 
ness, so  that  by  none  of  its  sacrifices  could  it  make  the 
church  pertect. 

§6.  "Can  never  with  these  sacrifices,  which  they 
offer  year  by  year  continually,  make  the  comeis  tiiere- 
unto  perfect;"  (a?  ro  J«vivf Kf?,  inperpetuum)  continually, 
or  for  ever,  that  is,  while  those  ordinances  of  worship 
were  in  force. 

But  neither  the  proper  signification  of  the  word,  nor 
the  use  of  it  in  this  epistle,  will  allow  it  in  this  place 
to  belong  to  the  sentence  going  before.  It  is  of  the 
same  signification  with  (eig  to  zavleXeg,  chap,  vii,  25,) 
for  ever,  to  the  uttermost,  perfectly.  What  is  affirmed 
of  Christ  and  his  sacrifice,  ver.  12,  14,  of  this  chapter, 
is  here  denied  of  the  law;  the  words  therefore  should 
be  joined  with  those  that  follow;  Hhelaw  by  its  sacrifi- 
ces could  not  perfect  for  ever,  or  to  the  utmost,  the 
comers  thereunto." 


Veu.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  7 

§7.  The  words  being  thus  read,  the  impotency  of 
tlie  law  is  very  emphatically  expressed  {s^srole  dvvalui) 
it  can  never  do  it,  by  no  means,  no  way;  it  is  impossi- 
ble it  should;  which  obviates  all  thoughts  of  perfec- 
tion by  the  law.  {Taig  avlaig  ^va-iaig,  iisdem  sacvrficus; 
iis  ipsis  hostiis,  or  sacrijiciis)  ruDtth  those  same  sacri- 
fices; the  same,  of  the  same  kind,  for  they  could  not  by 
the  law  offer  a  sacrifice  of  one  kind  one  year,  and  a  sac- 
rifice of  another  the  next.  But  the  same  sacrifices,  as 
to  their  kind,  their  matter,  and  manner,  were  annu- 
ally repeated  witliout  alteration.  And  this  is  urged 
to  shew,  tiiat  there  was  i^o  more  in  any  one  of  them 
than  in  another;  and  what  one  could  not  do,  could 
not  be  done  by  its  repetition,  for  it  was  still  the  same 
(y.a'i  evicivlov)  yearly,  year  by  year.  It  is  hence  mani- 
fest, that  he  principally  intends  the  anniversary  sacri- 
fices of  expiation;  when  the  high  priest  entered  into 
the  most  holy  place  with  blood,  Lev.  xvi;  had  he 
mentioned  sacrifices  in  general,  it  might  have  been  re- 
plied, that  although  such  as  were  daily  offered,  or  those 
on  special  occasions,  might  not  perfect  the  wo.»"shippers, 
at  least  not  the  whole  congregation;  yet  the  church 
might  by  that  great  sacrifice  which  was  offered  yearly; 
accordingly  the  Jews  have  a  saying,  that  on  the  day 
of  expiation  all  ''Israel  was  made  as  righteous  as  in  the 
day  wherein  man  was  first  created."  But  the  apostle  ap- 
plying his  argument  to  those  very  sacrifices  leaves 
no  reserve;  and  besides,  to  give  the  greater  cogency  to 
his  argument,  he  fixeth  on  those  sacrifices  which  had 
the  least  imperfection;  for  these  sacrifices  were  repeat- 
ed only  once  a  year;  and  if  this  repetition  of  them  once  a 
year  proves  them  weak  and  imperfect,  how  much 
more  were  those  so,  which  were  repeated  every  day? 
"Which  they  offer;"  he  states  what  was  done  at  the 
first  giving  of  the  law,  as  if  it  were  now  present  before 


S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

their  eyes.  And  if  it  had  not  the  power  mentioned 
at  then  first  institution,  when  the  law  was  in  all  its 
vigor  and  glory,  no  accession  could  be  made  to  it  by 
any  continuance  of  time,  except  in  the  false  imagina- 
tion of  the  people.  It  could  not  make  the  comers 
thereto  perfect  for  ever. 

§8.  (TsKeikKTui)  to  dedicate,  consummate,  consecrate, 
perfect,  sanctifi/;  see  Expos,  on  chap,  vii,  ver.  11,  here 
the  word  is  the  same  with  (TeXEiooircti  mla  crvv£i^vi<Tiv,  chap, 
ix,  9.)  "perfect  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience."  which 
is  ascribed  to  tlie  sacrifice  of  Christ,  ver.  4.  Wherefore 
it  here  respects  the  expiation  of  sin,  and  so  the  apostle 
expounds  it  in  the  following  verses;  (rsg  %poaepxo(jLsvsg, 
accedentes)  the  comers  thereunto,  say  we;  that  is,  the 
'worshippers,  see  ver.  2,  and  chap,  ix,  9,  those  who 
approach  to  him  by  sacrifices^  paiticularly  the  anni- 
versary sacrifice  which  was  provided  for  all. 

Bat  as  the  priests  were  included  in  the  foregoing 
words,  ^''which  they  offer;''''  so  by  these  comers,  the 
people  are  intended,  for  whose  benefit  the  sacrifices 
were  offered;  and  these,  if  any,  might  be  made  perfect 
by  the  sacrifices  of  the  law,  but  it  could  not  effect  it 
[siQ  TO  liViVe-A.t'))  absolutely,  completely,  and  for  ever;  it 
made  an  expiation,  bat  it  was  temporary  only,  not^br 
ever,  both  in  respect  of  the  consciences  of  the  wor- 
shippers, and  the  outward  effects  of  its  sacrifices. 

However,if  any  shall  think  meet  to  retain  the  ordinary 
distinction  of  the  words,  taking  the  phrase  (e/c  to  J/vjven- 
eg)  adverbially,  they  offered  year  by  year  continually, 
then  the  necessity  of  the  annual  repetition  of  those 
sacrifices  is  iiitended.  This  they  did,  and  this  they 
were  to  do  always  whilst  the  tabernacle  was  standing, 
or  the  worship  of  the  law  continued. 

§9.  (Ill  )  From  the  whole  verse  sundry  things  may 
be  observed. 


Ver.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  9 

1.  Whatever  there  may  be  in  any  religious -institu- 
tions, and  thedihgent  observance  of  them,  if  they  come 
short  of  exhibiting  Christ  himself  to  believers,  with  the 
benefits  of  his  mediation,  they  cannot  make  us  perfect, 
nor  give  us  acceptance  with  God. 

2.  Whatever  hath  the  least  representation  of  Christ, 
or  relation  to  him,  whilst  in  force,  hath  a  glory  in  it; 
the  law  had  but  a  shadow  of  him  and  his  office;  yet 
was  the  ministration  of  it  glorious;  and  much  more 
will  that  of  the  gospel  and  its  ordinances  appear  glori- 
ous, if  we  have  but  faith  to  discern  their  relation  to  /iHn, 
and  his  exhibition  of  himself  and  benefits  to  us  by 
them. 

3.  Christ  and  his  grace  were  the  only  good  things, 
that  were  absolutely  so,  from  tiie  foundation  of  the 
world,  or  the  giving  of  the  first  p  -omise.  Those  who 
put  such  a  valuation  on  the  meaner  uncertain  enjoy- 
ments of  other  things,  as  to  judge  them  their  '■'good 
things,"  their  goods,  as  they  are  commonly  called; 
and  see  not  that  all  which  is  absolutely  good  is  to  be 
found  in  him  alone;  (much  more  they  who  see  to 
judge  almost  all  things  good  besides,  and  Christ  with 
his  grace  "good  for  nothing,")  will  be  filled  with  the 
fruit  of  their  own  ways,  when  it  is  too  late  to  change 
their  minds. 

4.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  the  shadow 
of  good  things  to  come,  and  the  good  things  actually 
exhibited  and  granted  to  the  church.  This  is  the  fun- 
damental difference  between  the  two  testaments,  the 
law  and  the  gospel.  He  who  sees  not,  who  finds  not  a 
glory,  excellency,  and  satisfaction,  producing  peace, 
rest,  and  joy,  in  the  actual  exhibition  of  these  good 
things,  as  declared  and  tendered  in  the  gospel,  above 
what  might  be  attained  from  the  anctent  obscure  rep- 
resentation of  them,  is  a  stranger  to  gospel  light  and 
grace. 


JO  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

5.  The  principal  interest  and  design  of  them  who 
come  to  God,  is  to  have  assured  evidence  of  the  per- 
fect expiation  of  sin. 

6.  What  cannot  be  effected  for  the  expiation  of  sin 
at  once,  by  any  duty  or  sacrifice,  cannot  be  effected 
by  its  reiteration;  those  who  generally  seek  for  atone- 
ment and  acceptance  with  God,  by  their  own  duties, 
quickly  find  that  no  one  of  them  will  effect  their  desire; 
wherefore  they  place  all  their  confidence  in  the  repeti- 
tion and  multiplication  of  them;  what  is  not  done  at 
one  time,  they  hope  may  be  done  at  another:  what 
one  will  not  do,  many  shall;  but  after  all  they  find 
themselves  mistaken.     For, 

7.  The  repetition  of  the  same  sacrifices  doth  of  it- 
self demonstrate  their  insufficiency  for  that  end;  where- 
fore those  of  the  Roman  Church,  who  would  give 
countenance  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  by  affirming 
that  it  is  not  another  sacrifice,  but  the  very  same  that 
Christ  himself  offered,  effectually  prove,  if  the  apostle's 
argument  here  insisted  be  good  and  cogent,  an  insuf- 
ficiency in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  the  expiation  of  sin. 

VERSE  2. 

For  then  tvould  they  not  have  ceased  to  be  offered^  because  that 
the  nvorshififiers  once  purged  shpuld  have  had  no  more  co?,.- 
science  of  sins. 

^1.  The  nature  of  the  present  argument.  §2.  An  objection  ansvered.  §3 — 5. 
(I.)  The  words  farther  explained.    §6 — 7.  (II.)  Observations. 

§1.  1  HE  words  contain  a  confirmation  by  a  new  ar- 
gument of  what  was  affirmed  in  the  verse  foregoing 
taken  from  the  frequent  repetitions  of  those  sacrifices. 
The  thing  to  be  proved  is  the  "insufficiency  of  the 
law  to  perfect  the  worshippers  by  its  sacrifices,''  and 
the  present  argiiment  is  taken  (ab  effectu,  or  a  signo) 


Ver.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  H 

froia  t'le  effect,  or  a  demonstrative  sign  of  the  insuffi- 
ciency which  he  had  before  asserted.  There  is  a  va- 
riety in  the  original  copies,  some  having  the  negative 
particle  (sit)  others  omitting  it;  if  that  negation  be  al- 
lowed,  the  words  are  to  be  read  by  way  of  interroga- 
tion; "would  they  not  have  ceased  to  be  offered?"  that 
is,  ihetj  would;  if  it  be  omitted,  the  assertion  is  positive; 
"they  would  then  have  ceased  to  be  offered;"  there 
was  no  reason  for  their  continuance,  nor  would  God 
have  appointed  it;  and  the  notes  of  the  inference 
(enti'icLv)  fov  then,  are  applicable  to  either  reading. 

§2.  In  opposition  to  this  argument  in  general  it  may 
be  said,  that  this  reiteration  was  not  because  they  did 
not 2)erfectly  expiate  the  sins  of  the  offerer,  but  because 
those  for  whom  they  were  offered  did  again  contract 
the  guilt  of  sin,  and  so  stood  in  need  of  a  renewed  ex- 
piation of  them. 

In  answer  to  this  objection  vvhicli  may  be  laid 
against  the  foundation  of  the  apostle's  argument,  I  say, 
there  are  two  things  in  the  expiation  of  sin.  First, 
the  effects  of  the  sacrifice  towards  God  in  making 
atonement;  secondly,  the  application  of  those  effects 
to  our  consciences,  I'he  apostle  treats  not  of  the  lat- 
ter wliich  may  be  frequently  repeated;  for  of  this  na- 
ture are  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and  our  own 
faith  and  repentance;  for  a  renewed  jmrticipation  of 
the  thing  signified,  is  the  only  use  of  the  frequent  repe- 
tition of  the  sign.  So,  renewed  acts  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance are  continually  necessary  upon  the  incursions 
of  the  new  acts  of  sin  and  defilements;  but  by  none  of 
these  is  there  any  atonement  made  for  sin;  the  one 
great  sacrifice  of  atonement  is  aj^plied  to  us,  but  is 
not  to  be  repeated  by  us. 

Supposing  therefore  the  end  of  sacrifices  to  be  mak- 
ing atonement  witii  God  for  sin,  and  the  procuring  of 

VOL.  IV.  2 


\2  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

all  attendant  privileges,  (which  was  the  faith  of  the 
Jews  concerning  them)  and  the  repet'dion  of  them  in- 
vincibly proves  that  they  could  not  of  themselves  ef- 
fect that  end. 

Hence  we  may  see  both  the  obs{inac2j  and  miserable 
state  of  tlie  present  Jews.  Tne  law  plainly  declares, 
that  without  atonement  by  blood  there  is  no  remission 
of  sins;  this  they  expect  by  the  sacrifices  of  the  law, 
and  their  frequent  repetition;  but  these  they  have 
been  utterly  deprived  of  for  many  generations,  and 
therefore  they  must,  on  their  own  princij)les,  die  in 
their  sins  and  under  the  curse. 

And  it  is  hence  also  evident,  that  the  superstition  of 
the  church  of  Rome  in  their  mass,  (wherein  they  pre- 
tend to  offer,  and  every  day  to  repeat,  a  propitiatory 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  living  and  the  dead)  doth 
evidently  demonstrate,  that  they  virtually  disbelieve  the 
efficacy  of  tlie  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  as  once  offered^ 
for  the  expiation  of  sin. 

§3.  (I.)  The ''worsJiippers^^  (oi  ho^pevo^le;)  are  the 
same  with  the  comers  {oi  7spo(xsoxoixsvoi}  in  the  verse 
foregoing;  and  in  each  place  not  the  priests,  but  the 
people  for  whom  they  offered,  are  intended;  and  con- 
cerning them  it  is  supposed,  that  if  the  sacriiices  of  the 
law  could  make  them  perfect,  then  would  they  have 
been  purged;  wherefore  the  latter  {ycc^upilsa^iui)  is  the 
effect  of  the  (ormev  {TeXsiuaat.)  If  the  law  did  not 
make  them  perfect,  then  were  they  not  purged. 

This  sacred  {-Acc^upia^LOi;)  jmrif  cation  takes  away  the 
condemning  power  of  sin  from  the  conscience,  v\'hich 
was  introduced  on  account  of  its  guilt. 

§4.  "They  should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of 
sins;"  rather,  they  should  not  any  farther  have  any 
conscience  of  sins.  The  meaning  of  the  word  is  sin- 
gularly well  expiessed  in  the  Syriac  translation:  '-they 


Ver.  S.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  1^ 

should  have  no  conscience  agitating,  (tossing,  disquiet- 
ing, perplexing)  for  sins;"  no  conscience  judging  and 
condemning  their  persons  for  the  guilt  of  sin,  so  de- 
priving them  of  solid  peace  with  God:  it  is  {(Tvvei^v,<Tiv 
aixapliuv)  conscience,  with  respect  to  the  guilt  of  sins,  as 
it  binds  over  the  sinner  to  punishment  in  the  judg- 
ment of  God;  now  this  is  not  to  be  measured  by  the 
apprehension  of  the  sinner,  but  by  the  true  causes  and 
grounds  of  it — that  sin  was  not  perfectly  expiated. 

The  way  and  means  of  our  interest  in  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ,  is  by  faith  only;  now,  even  in  this  state,  it 
often  falls  out,  that  true  believers  have  a  conscience^ 
judging  and  condemning  them  for  sin,  no  less  than 
they  had  under  the  law;  but  this  trouble  of  conscience 
doth  not  arise  hence,  that  sin  is  not  jKrfectly  expiated 
by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  but  only  from  an  apprehen- 
sion, that  they  have  not  a  due  interest  in  that  sacrifice, 
and  its  benefits.  On  the  contrary,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, they  questioned  not  their  dueinterest  in  their  sac- 
rifices, which  depended  on  the  performance  of  the  rites 
belonging  to  them;  but  their  consciences  charged  thera 
with  the  guilt  of  sin.  through  an  apprehension  that  their 
sacrifices  could  not  perfectly  expiate  it;  and  this  they 
found  themselves  led  to  by  God's  instituted  repetition 
of  them,  which  had  not  been  done,  if  they  could  ever 
make  the  worshippers  perfect;  but  in  the  use  of  them, 
and  by  their  frequent  repetition,  they  were  taught  to 
look  continually  to  the  great  expiatory  sacrifice, 
whose  virtue  was  laid  up  for  them  in  the  promise, 
whereby  they  had  peace  with  God. 

§5.  "But  in  those  sacrifices  there  is  a  remembrance 
again  made  of  sins  every  year;"  {uKKu)  ftit/,  this  note 
of  introduction  sufTiciently  intimates  the  nature  of  the 
argument  insisted  on:  had  the  worshippers  been  per- 
fected, they  would  have  no  more  cons  cience  for  sins; 


14,  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

but,  saith  he,  it  was  not  so;  for  God  appoints  nothing 
in  vain,  and  he  not  only  appointed  the  repetition  of 
these  sacrifices,  but  also,  that,  in  every  repetition  of 
them,  there  should  be  a  remembrance  made  of  sin,  as 
of  that  which  was  yet  to  be  expiated.  (Ev  uvloig)  in 
them;  "in  these  sacrijtces,''^  we  supply  the  defect  of  the 
verb  substantive  by,  "there  is;"  for  there  is  no  more  in 
the  original  than,  ''but  in  them  a  remembrance  again  of 
sins,"  the  sacrifices  intended  are  principally  those  of 
the  solemn  day  of  expiation;  for  he  speaks  of  them 
that  were  repeated  yearly,  which  are  peculiarly  fixed 
on,  because  of  the  solemnity  of  their  offering,  and  the 
interest  of  the  ivhole  people  in  them  at  once.  By 
these,  therefore,  they  looked  for  the  perfect  expiation 
of  sin. 

"A  remembrance  again  made  of  sin;"  that  is,  by  vir- 
tue of  divine  institution,  whereon  depends  the  force  of 
the  argument;  for  this  "remcnih ranee  of  sin,"  by  God's 
own  institution,  was  such  as  sufficiently  evidenced,  that 
the  offerers  had  ^et  a  conscience  condemning  them  for 
sins,  and  hereby  the  apostle  proves  effectually,  that 
these  sacrifices  did  not  make  the  worshippers  perfect. 
Their  confession  of  sin  was  in  order  to  and  preparato- 
ry for,  a  new  atonement  and  expiation  of  it;  our  re- 
membrance of  sin,  and  confession  of  it,  respects  only 
the  application  of  the  virtue,  and  efficacy  of  the  atone- 
ment once  made,  without  the  least  desire,  or  expecta- 
tion of  a  new  propitiation.  Their  remembrance  of 
sin  respected  the  curse  of  the  law,  which  w  as  to  be 
answered,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  which  was  to  be  ap- 
peased; owr*  respect  only  the  ajj^Zica^ion  of  these  ben- 
efits of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  to  our  own  consciences, 
whereby  we  have  assured  peace  with  God. 

§6.  (II.)  Hence  we  may  infer, 

1 ,  The  discharge  of  conscience  from  its  condemri- 


Ver.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  15 

ing  right  and  power,  by  virtue  of  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  is  the  foundation  of  all  other  privileges  we  re- 
ceive by  the  gospel.  Where  this  is  not,  there  is  no 
real  participation  of  any  other. 

2.  All  peace  with  God  is  resolved  into  a  purging 
atonement  made  for  sin,  "being  once  purged." 

3.  It  is  by  a  principle  of  gospel  light  alone,  that 
conscience  is  directed  to  condemn  all  sin,  and  yet  to 
acquit  all  sinners  that  are  purged;  its  own  natural  light 
can  give  it  no  guidance  in  this  matter. 

§7.  1.  An  obligation  to  such  ordinances  of  worship 
as  could  not  expiate  sin,  nor  testify  that  it  was  perfect- 
ly expiated,  was  part  of  the  bondage  of  the  church 
under  the  Old  Testament. 

2.  It  belongs  to  the  light  and  wisdom  of  faith  so  to 
remember  sin,  and  make  confession  of  it,  as  not  there- 
by to  seek  for  a  ?^e^£J  atonement  for  it,  which  is  made 
^'oncefor  all.^^ 

Confession  of  sin  is  no  less  necessary  under  the 
New  Testament,  than  it  was  under  the  Old;  but  not 
for  the  same  end.  The  causes  and  reasons  of  confes- 
sion now  are  to  affect  our  own  minds  and  consciences 
with  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin  in  itself,  so  as  to  keep 
us  humble,  and  fill  us  with  self  abasement.  He  who 
hath  no  sense  of  sin  but  what  consists  in  a  dread  of 
future  judgment,  knows  little  of  the  mystery  of  our 
walk  before  God,  and  obedience  to  him;  wherefore 
we  do  not  (as  the  manner  of  some  is)  make  confession 
of  sin  a  paii  of  compensation  for  the  guilt,  or  a  license 
for  the  practice  of  it. 


16  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10 

VERSE  4. 

For  it  is  not  Jiossible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  should  take 
away  sins. 

§1.  The  important  ends  of  instituting  the  legal  sacrifices,  though  they  could 
not  take  a*ay  sins  ,)'2  The  i  in  possibility  ot"  atonement  being  made  by  them, 
in  the  nature  of  the  thing.  §3,  Taking  away  sin  what.  J4.  How  impossible 
by  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats.    ^5.  Observations. 

§1.  X  HERE  is  no  difficulty  in  the  words,  and  very 
little  difference  in  the  translations  of  them;  "by  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  goats,"  he  intends  all  the  sacrifices 
of  the  law;  now,  if  it  be  impossible  that  they  should 
take  away  sin,  for  what  end  then  were  they  appointed? 
The  answer  which  the  apostle  gives,  with  respect  to 
the  law,  in  general,  may  be  applied  (with  a  small  addi- 
tion, from  a  respect  to  their  special  nature,)  to  the  sac- 
rijices  of  it,  "tliei/  were  added  to  the  promise,  because  of 
trawigressions.^^  For  God  in  and  by  them  continually 
represented  to  sinners  the  curse  and  sentence  of  the 
law;  or,  that  death  was  the  wages  of  sin;  for  although 
there  was  allowed  in  them  a  commufaiion,  that  the 
sinner  himself  should  not  die;  but  the  beast  that  was 
sacrificed  in  his  stead  (which  belonged  to  their  second 
end  of  leading  to  Christ)  yet  they  all  testified  to  the 
sacred  truth,  that  it  is  the  judgment  of  God  that  "they 
who  commit  sin  are  worthy  of  death."  He  let  no  sin 
pass  without  a  representation  of  his  displeasure  against 
it,  though  mixed  with  mercy  directing  to  relief  against 
it,  in  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice.  Again;  they  were 
added  as  the  leaching  of  a  schoolmasfer  to  lead  to 
Christ.  By  them  was  the  church  taught,  and  directed 
to  look  continually  after  that  sacrifice,  which  alone 
could  really  take  away  all  sin;  and  in  this  consisted, 
we  may  affirm,  the  principal  exercise  of  grace  under 
the  Old  Testament  economy. 


Ver.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  I7 

As  to  their  special  nature,  they  were  added  as  the 
great  instruction  in  the  way  and  manner,  whereby  sin 
was  to  be  taken  away;  for  although  this  arose  origin- 
ally from  God's  mere  grace  and  mercy,  yet,  was  it  not 
to  be  accomplished  by  sovereign  grace  and  power 
alone.  Such  a  taking  away  of  sin  would  have  been 
inconsistent  with  his  truth,  holiness,  and  righteous  gov- 
ernment of  mankind. 

These  things  evidently  express  tlie  wisdom  of  God 
in  their  institution,  although  oftlumselves  they  could 
not  take  away  sin;  and  those  by  whom  these  ends  of 
them  are  denied,  as  they  are  by  the  Jews  and  Socin. 
ians,  can  give  no  account  of  any  end  of  them,  which 
answer  the  wisdom,  grace,  and  holiness  of  God. 

^2.  ''For  it  is  not  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
goats."  If  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  itself  it  v\as  im- 
possible that  the  sacrifices,  consibting  of  the  blood  of 
bulls  and  goats,  should  take  away  sin;  then  however, 
whensoever,  and  by  whomsoever  they  were  offered, 
this  effect  could  not  be  produced  by  them;  wherefore, 
in  these  words,  the  apostle  puts  a  close  to  his  argument, 
and  makes  mention  of  it  no  more,  except  for  illustra- 
tion to  set  forth  the  excellency  of  the  saciifice  of  Christ; 
as  ver.  11,  and  chap,  xiii,  10 — 12.  The  reason  why 
the  apostle  expressc  th  them  by  'bulls  and  goats,"  while 
yet  they  were  calves  and  kids  of  the  goats,  hath  been 
declared  on  chap,  ix,  ver.  11,  12. 

He  makes  mention  only  of  the  Itlood  of  the  sacri- 
fices; whereas  in  many  of  them,  the  u-lwle  bodies  were 
offered,  and  the  fat  of  them  all  was  burned  on  the  altar, 
because  it  was  the  blood  alone  whereby  atonement  was 
made  for  sin;  and  there  is  a  tacit  opposition  to  the  mat- 
ter of  the  sacrifice,  whereby  sin  was  really  to  be  expi- 
ated, which  was  the  ''precious  blood  of  Chi'ist,"  as 
chap,  ix,  13,  14. 


18  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

§3.  I'hat  which  is  denied  of  these  sacrifices,  is 
aCpaipeiv  aixupliag)  the  taking  away  of  sins,  which  is  to 
make  atonement  for  it,  to  expiate  it  before  God  by  a 
satisfaction  given,  or  price  paid,  with  the  procurement 
of  the  pardon  of  it,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  new 
covenant. 

He  declares  directly  and  positively  what  he  intends 
by  this  taking  away  of  sin,  and  the  ceasing  of  legal  sac- 
rifices; ver.  17,  18,  ''Their  sins  and  their  iniquities  will 
I  remember  no  more,  now  where  remission  of  these  is^ 
there  is  no  more  offerings  for  sin."  The  cessation  of 
offerings  follows  directly  on  the  remission  of  sin,  which 
is  the  effect  of  expiation  and  atonement;  and  not  of  the 
turning  away  of  men  from  sin  for  the  future.  It  is^ 
therefore,  our  justification,  and  not  even  sanctification, 
that  the  apostle  discourseth  of.  It  is,  moreover,  an  act, 
upon  sin  itself,  and  not  immediately  upon  the  sinner; 
nor  can  it  signify  any  thing,  but  to  take  away  the  guilt 
of  sin,  that  it  should  not  bind  over  the  sinner  to  pun- 
ishment, whereon  conscience  for  sin  is  taken  away. 

§4.  The  manner  of  this  negation  is,  that  it  was  "iwi- 
possihle^^  it  should  be  otherwise;  and  it  was  so,  not  only 
from  divine  institution,  but  also  from  the  nature  of  the 
things  themselves.  It  had  no  condccency  to  divine 
justice;  in  satisfaction  to  justice,  by  way  of  compensa- 
tion for  injuries,  there  must  be  a  proportion  between 
the  injury  and  the  reparation,  that  justice  may  be  a3 
much  exalted  and  glorified  in  the  one,  as  it  was  depres- 
sed and  abased  in  the  other;  but  there  could  be  no  such 
thing  between  the  demerit  of  sin,  and  the  affront  put 
on  the  righteousness  of  God,  on  the  one  hand;  and  the 
reparation  by  ''the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,"  on  the 
other. 

^5.  From  these  things  we  may  observe, 


Ver.  5—10.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  19 

1.  It  is  possible ,  that  things  may  usefully  represent, 
what  it  is  impossible  they  themselves  should  effect.  This 
is  the  fundamental  rule  of  all  institutions  of  the  Old 
Testament.    Wherefore, 

2  There  may  be  great  and  eminent  uses  of  divine 
ordinances  and  institutions,  although  it  be  impossible 
that  in  themselves,  in  their  most  exact  and  diligent  use, 
they  should  work  out  our  acceptance  with  God;  and 
it  belongs  to  the  wisdom  of  faith  to  use  them  to  their 
proper  end. 

3.  It  was  utterly  impossible  that  sin  should  betaken 
away  before  God,  and  from  the  sinner's  conscience,  but 
by  the  blood  of  Christ;  other  ways,  men  are  apt  to  be- 
take tlK^mselves  to  for  this  end,  but  all  in  vain.  It  is 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  that  cleaiiseth  us  from 
all  our  sins;  for  he  alone  was  the  propitiation  for  them. 

4.  The  declaration  of  the  insufficiency  of  all  other 
ways  for  the  expiation  of  sin,  is  an  evidence  of  the  holi- 
ness, righteousness,  and  severity  of  God  against  it,  with 
the  unavoidable  ruin  of  all  unbelievers. 

5.  Herein  also  consists  the  great  demonstration  of 
the  love,  grace,  and  mercy  of  God,  with  an  encourage- 
ment to  faith;  in  that,  when  the  old  sacrifices  could 
not  perfectly  expiate  sin,  he  would  not  suffer  the  work 
itself  to  fail,  but  provided  a  way  that  should  be  infalli- 
bly eflective  of  it;  as  in  the  following  verses: 

VERSES  5—10. 
Wherefore,  nvhen  he  cometh  into  the  world,  he  saith,  sacrifice 
and  offering  thou  wouldest  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared 
me;  in  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had  no 
pleasure.  Then,  said  I,  lo,  I  come  (in  the  -volume  of  the  book  it 
is  written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will.  O  God.  jlbove,  when  he  saidf 
sacrifice  and  offering,  and  burnt  offerings,  and  offering  for  sin 
thou  wouldest  not,  neither  hadst  pleasure  therein  (which  are 
offered  by  the  law,)  then,  said  he,  lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O 
God.  He  taketh  away  the  first,  that  he  may  establish  the  seC' 
ond.  By  the  which  will  we  are  sanctified,  through  the  offering 
of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all. 

VOL.  rv.  3 


20  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1©. 

§1.  Introduction  and  connexion  §2  (I.)  Exposition  of  the  words  ^3.  (!hiist"s 
coming.  §4.  In  what  sense  God  rejects  the  kgal  sacrifices  and  offerings-  §5. 
What  "he  wills  in  their  stead.  v6 -S.  The  Psahnist,  Suptuagint,  and  Apostle 
reconciled.     §9 --15.  Exposition  continued.    §16—19.  (H  )  Observations. 

§1.  Here  we  have  the  provision  God  made  to  sup- 
ply the  defect  of  legal  sacrifices,  as  to  the  expiation  of 
sin,  peace  of  conscience,  &c.  For  the  words  contain 
the  blessed  undertaking  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
perform  and  suffer  all  things  required  by  the  will,  wis- 
dom, holiness,  righteousness,  and  authority  of  God,  to 
the  complete  salvation  of  the  church. 

This  is  a  blessed  portion  of  divine  writ,  summarily 
representing  to  us  the  love,  grace,  and  wisdom  of  the 
Father:  the  love,  obedience,  and  suffering  of  the  Son; 
the  federal  agreement  between  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
about  the  work  of  redemption  and  salvation,  with  the 
blessed  harmony  between  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, in  the  declaration  of  these  things.  The  divine 
authority  and  wisdom  that  here  evidence  themselves 
are  ineffable. 

§2.  (1.)  (Aio)  ir/ze?*^/^?^,  for  which  cause,  for  which 
end.  It  doth  not  intimate  why  the  words  following 
were  spoken,  but  why  the  things  themselves  were  so 
disposed;  '■'wherefore,"  saith  the  apostle,  because  it  was 
so  with  the  law,  things  are  thus  ordered  in  the  wisdom 
and  counsel  of  God;  [Xsysi]  he  saitli;  the  words  may 
have  a  threefold  respect;  as  they  were  given  out  by  in- 
spiration, and  recorded  in  scripture;  as  they  were  used 
by  David  the  penman  of  the  Psalms,  who  speaks  by 
inspiration,  and  as  a  type  of  Christ.  But  David  did 
not,  would  not,  ought  not  in  his  own  name  and  person 
reject  the  worship  of  God,  and  present  himself  with  his 
obedience  in  its  room,  especially  as  to  the  end  of  sac- 
rifices in  the  expiation  of  sin.  Wherefore,  the  words 
are  properly  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 


Ver.  5—10.        EPISTLE   TO  THE  HEBREWS.  £1 

"when  he  cometh  into  the  world,  he  saith.'^  The  Holy 
Ghost  uscth  these  words  at  his,  because  they  expres- 
sively declare  his  mind  and  resolution  in  his  coming 
into  the  world.  On  considering  the  insufficiency  of 
legal  sacrifices  (the  only  appearing  means)  to  make 
reconciliation  with  God,  the  Lord  Christ,  that  all  man- 
kind might  not  eternally  perish  under  the  guilt  of  sin, 
represents  his  ready  willingness  to  undertake  that 
work. 

§2.  The  season  of  his  speaking  these  words  was, 
"when  he  cometh  into  the  world,"  {ei(7epxoix,evog,vemens 
or  venturus)  when  the  design  of  his  future  coming 
into  the  world  was  declared,  see  Matt,  xi,  3. 

Bat  as  the  words  were  not  verbally  spoken  by  him, 
being  only  a  real  declaration  of  his  intention;  so  this 
expression  of  his  "coming  into  the  world,"  is  not  to  be 
confined  to  any  one  single  act  to  the  exclusion  of 
others,  but  respects  all  the  solemn  acts  of  the  suscep- 
tion  and  discharge  of  his  mediatory  office  for  the  sal- 
vation of  the  church;  but  it  any  should  rather  judge 
that  in  this  expression  some  single  season  and  act  of 
Christ  is  intended,  it  can  do  no  other  than  his  incar- 
nation, by  which  he  came  into  the  world;  for  this  was 
the  foundation  of  all  that  he  did  afterwards,  and  that 
whereby  he  was  fitted  for  his  whole  mediatorial  work. 

§4.  (r'lniD'^  ni3(,  ^vaia.  -Aui  itpo^Qoi^x)  sacrijice  and  of- 
fering; in  the  next  verse  the  one  of  them,  (^vaiu)  sa- 
crifice, is  distributed  into  (nNDn"\  ^^^y  rendered  here 
oKoy,ctvloiJ.ulci  nui  xsp/  aixupltug)  tchole  burnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices/or  sin.  It  is  evident  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  in 
this  variety  of  expressions,  compriscth  all  the  sacrifices 
of  the  law  that  had  any  respect  to  the  expiation  of  sin. 

Of  these  sacrifices  it  is  affirmed,  that  God  "would 
them  not,"  ver.  5,  and  that  he  "had  no  pleasure  in 
them,"  ver.  6,  (ni'EH  nS,  «h  fGf?i'^7«?)  thou  is^ouldest  not: 


2%  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

thou  didst  not  desire.  The  Hebrew  word  is  (ysM)  io 
will  freely  and  with  delight.  But  this  sense  the  apos- 
tle transfers  to  the  other  word  (rhu^)  which  he  ren- 
ders by  (8Vi  fuSoxvia-fl;;  ver.6.)  thou  ha.^'t  had  no  pleasure; 
in  the  psalm  it  is,  thou  ''hadst  not  required/''  where- 
fore, if  we  grant  that  the  words  used  by  the  apostle  be 
not  exact  versions  of  tliose  used  by  the  psalmist,  as 
they  are  applied  the  one  to  the  other,  yet  it  is  evident 
that  the  full  and  exact  meaning  of  both  is  declared^ 
which  is  sufficient  to  his  purpose. 

The  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  plain  enough,  both 
in  the  testimony  itself,  and  in  the  improvement  of  it 
by  the  apostle;  for  the  legal  sacrifices  are  spoken  of 
only  with  respect  to  that  end  which  the  Lord  Christ 
undertook  to  accomplish  by  his  mediation;  and  this 
was  the  perfect  real  expiation  of  sin,  with  the  justifi- 
cation, sanctification,  and  eternal  salvation  of  the 
church;  with  that  perfect  state  of  spiritual  worship 
which  was  ordained  for  it  in  this  world;  all  these 
things  were  these  sacrifices  appointed  to  prefigure;  but 
the  nature  and  design  of  this  prefiguration  being  dark 
and  obscure,  and  the  things  signified  being  utterly  hid- 
den as  to  their  special  nature  and  the  manner  of  their 
efficacy,  many  in  all  ages  of  tlie  church  expected  them 
from  these  sacrifices,  and  they  had  some  appearance 
of  being  ordained  to  that  end.  Therefore  this  is  that, 
and  that  alone,  v/ith  respect  to  which  they  are  here 
rejected;  God  never  appointed  them  to  this  end,  he 
never  took  pleasure  in  them  in  this  view,  they  were 
insufficient  in  tlie  wisdom,  holiness,  and  righteousness 
ol  God  to  any  such  purpose:  wherefore  the  sense  of 
God  concerning  them,  as  to  this  end,  is,  that  they  were 
not  appointed,  not  approved,  not  accepted.  No  new 
revelation,  absolutely,  is  intimated  in  the  words  "thou 
wouldest  not,  thou  tookest  no  pleasure,"  but  a  mere  ex- 


Ver.  6—10.        EPISTLE   TO  THE  HEBREWS.  23 

press  declaration  of  that  will  and  counsel  of  God,  which 
he  had  by  various  ways  given  intimation  of  before. 

§.5.  The  first  part  of  ver.  3,  declares  the  icill  of  God, 
concerning  the  sacrifices  of  the  law;  the  latter  contains 
the  supply  that  God  in  his  wisdom  and  grace  provided, 
answerable  to  the  insufficiency  of  these  sacrifices;  and 
this  is  not  somewhat  that  should  help  to  make  them 
effectual,  but  what  should  be  introduced  in  opposition 
to  them,  and  for  their  removal;  "but  a  body  hast  thou 
prepared  me."  The  adversative,  (Sf )  but,  declares  that 
the  way  designed  of  God  for  this  end  was  of  another 
nature  than  these  sacrifices  were,  and  yet  must  be 
such,  as  should  not  render  those  sacrifices  utterly  use- 
less from  the  first  institution,  which  would  reflect  on 
the  divine  Wisdom;  for  although  the  real  way  of  ex- 
piating sin  be  in  itself  of  another  nature,  yet  were 
those  sacrifices  meet  to  prefigure  and  represent  it  to 
the  faith  of  the  church;  and  therefore,  saith  Christ,  the 
first  thing  that  God  did,  in  preparing  this  new  way, 
was  the  preparation  of  a  body  for  me,  which  was  to 
be  offered  in  sacrifice. 

And  in  the  antithesis  intimated  in  the  adversative 
conjunction,  respect  is  had  to  the  will  of  God;  as  sa- 
crifices were  what  he  ''would  not"  to  this  end:  so  this 
preparation  of  the  body  of  Christ  was  what  "/le 
would,''^  and  was  well  pleased  with,  ver.  9,  10. 

§6.  We  must,  first,  speak  to  the  apostle's  rendering 
these  words  out  of  the  psalmist;  they  are  in  the  origi- 
nal, (lb  n^ni  uDiJfiS)  mij  ears  hast  thou  digged,  bored, 
prepared.  All  sorts  of  critical  writers  and  expositors 
have  so  labored  to  resolve  this  difliculty,  that  there  is 
little  to  be  added  to  the  industry  of  some,  and  it  were 
endless  to  confute  the  mistakes  of  others;  I  shall  there- 
fore only  speak  briefly  to  it,so  as  to  manifest  the  oneness 
of  the  sense  of  both  places:  and  some  things  must  be 
premised: 


24  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1». 

It  doth  not  seem  probable  to  me,  that  the  Sepfua- 
gint  did  ever  translate  these  words  as  they  are  now 
extant  in  all  the  copies  of  that  translation,  ((rwju,a  Je 
'Auleplua  iLOi)  but  a  body  that  thou  preparedst  me;  for  it 
is  not  a  translation,  oHheov'igmal  words,  but  an  expo- 
sition of  their  meaning,  which  was  no_  part  of  their 
design;  if  they  made  this  exposition,  it  was  either  from 
a  mere  conjecture,  or  from  a  right  understanding  of 
the  mystery  contained  in  them;  t!ie  former  is  altogether 
improbable;  and  that  they  understood  the  mystery 
couched  in  that  metaphorical  expression  (without 
which  no  accoaat  can  be  given  of  this  version  of  the 
words)  will  not  be  granted  by  them  who  know  any 
thing  of  those  translators  or  their  work;  besides,  there 
was  of  old  a  different  reading  of  tint  translation:  for 
instead  of  [(r^ixa)  a  body,  some  copies  have  it  [ulia)  the 
ears,  which  the  vuIgate  Latin  follows;  an  evidence 
that  a  change  had  been  made  in  that  translation,  to 
comply  with  the  words  used  by  the  apostle. 

The  words,  therefore,  in  this  place  were  the  words 
whereby  the  apostle  expressed  the  sense  and  meaning 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  those  used  in  the  psalmist;  he 
did  not  take  them  from  the  Greek  translation,  but 
used  them  himself  to  express  the  sense  of  the  Hebrew 
text;  in  vindication  of  this  we  farther  remark,  that 
sundry  passages  have  been  unquestionably  taken  out 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  inserted  into  that  tranbla- 
tion;  and  I  no  way  doubt  but  it  hath  so  fallen  out 
in  this  place,  since  no  other  satisfactory  account  can 
be  given  of  that  translation  as  the  words  now  stand. 

§7'  This  is  certain,  that  the  sense  intended  by  the 
psalmist,  and  that  expressed  by  the  apoi-tle,  are  to  the 
same  purpose,  and  their  agreement  is  sufficiently  plain 
and  evident;  that  which  is  spoken  is,  an  act  of  God 


Ver.  5—10.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  25 

the  Father  towards  the  Son;  the  end  of  it  is,  that  the 
Son  might  he  Jit  and  meet  to  do  the  will  of  God  in  the 
way  of  obedience,  so  in  the  text;  ''mine  ears  hast  thou 
bored"  or  a  body  thou  hast  prepared  me;  then  said  I, 
lo.  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God."  This  is  the  sole 
end  why  God  so  acted  towards  him.  The  ascription 
oiears  to  the  Lord  Christ  by  an  act  of  God,  is  a 
preparation  of  a  state  and  nature,  as  should  be  meet 
to  yield  obedience  to  him.  In  his  divine  nature  alone 
it  was  impossible  that  he  should  come  to  do  the  will 
of  God  as  our  substitute,  wherefore  God  prepared 
another  nature  for  him,  which  is  expressed  synecdo- 
chically  by  the  ears  for  the  whole  body,  and  that  sig- 
nificantly, because  as  it  is  impossible  that  any  one 
should  have  ears  of  any  use  but  by  virtue  of  his  hav- 
ing a  body;  so  the  ears  are  that  part  of  the  body  by 
which  alone  instruction  to  obedience,  the  thing  aimed 
at,  is  received;  that  is  this  which  is  directly  expressed 
by  himself;  Isa.  lix,  4,  5,  "He  wakeneth,  morning 
by  morning,  he  wakeneth  mine  ear  to  hear  as  the 
learned;  the  Lord  God  hath  opened  mine  ear,  and  I 
was  not  rebellious,"  or,  I  was  obedient:  and  so  it  is  all 
one  in  what  sense  you  take  the  word  vn"l5)  whether 
in  the  more  common  and  usual,  to  dig,  or  bore,  or  in 
that  to  which  it  is  sometimes  applied,  to  fit  and  perfect. 
I  do  not  judge  there  is  any  allusion  to  the  law  of '"^or- 
ing  the  ear  of  the  servant"  that  refused  to  take  liberty 
at  the  year  of  release;  nor  is  the  word  used  in  that 
case,  but  another  (^)i^  Exod.  xxi,  6;)  but  it  respects  the 
framing  of  the  organ  of  hearing  which,  as  it  were,  is 
barred;  and  the  internal  sense,  in  readiness  for  obe- 
dience, is  expressed  by  the  framing  of  the  oidxvard  in- 
strument of  hearing,  that  we  may  by  that  means  learn 
to  obey. 

Wherefore  this  is^  and  no  other  can  be,  the  sense  of 


26  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

the  words  in  the  psalmist; — that  God  the  Father  pre- 
pared for  Jesus  Christ  a  nature  wherein  he  might  be 
free,  and  able  to  yield  obedience  to  the  will  of  God 
with  an  imitation  of  the  quality  of  it,  in  having  ears  to 
hear,  which  belong  only  to  a  body;  and  this  very 
sense  the  apostle  expresseth  in  more  plain  terms,  now 
after  the  accomplishment  of  what  before  was  only  de- 
clared in  prophecy,  and  thereby  the  veil  is  taken 
away. 

There  is  therefore  nothing  remaining  but  that  we 
give  an  exposition  of  the  apostle's  words,  as  they  con- 
tain the  sense  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  psalm. 

§8.  "A  body  hast  thou  prepared  me;"  a  ''todfz/"  is 
here  a  synecdochical  expression  for  the  human  nature 
of  Christ;  so  is  Hhe  fleslV  taken,  where  he  is  said  to 
be  "made  flesh,"  and  "the  flesh  and  blood"  whereof  he 
was  made  partaker;  for  the  general  end  of  his  having 
this  body  was,  that  he  migl)t  thereby  do  the  will  of 
of  God;  and  the  special  end  of  it  was,  that  he  might 
have  what  to  offer  in  sacrifice  to  God;  but  neither  of 
these  can  be  conjined  to  his  body  alone;  for  it  is  the 
soul,  the  other  essential  part  of  human  nature,  is  the 
principle  of  obedience;  nor  was  the  body  of  Christ 
alone,  offered  in  sacrifice;  "he  made  his  soul  an  offer- 
ing for  sin,"  Isa.  liii,  10;  which  was  typified  by  the 
life  that  was  in  the  blood  of  the  sacriiice;  but  the 
apostle  both  here  and  ver.  10,  mentions  only  the 
body; — to  manifest,  that  this  offering  of  Christ  was  to 
be  by  death,  which  the  body  alone  was  subject  to;  and 
as  the  covenant  was  to  be  confirmed  by  this  offering, 
it  was  to  be  only  by  blood,  which  was  contained  in  the 
body  alone,  and  the  separation  of  it  from  the  body  car- 
ries the  life  along  with  it. 

Concerning  the  body,  it  is  affirmed  that  God  pre- 
pared it  for  him;  that  is,  the  Father;  for  to  him  are 
those  words  spoken;  "I  come  to  do  thy  will  O  God, 


Ver.  5—10.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  27 

a  body  (mlvipliffu  i^oi)  hast  thou  prepared  me;"  that 
which  "he  would,"  was  the  obedience  of  the  Son  to 
his  will;  this  proposal  the  Son  closeth  with;  ''Lo,  saith 
he,  I  come;"  but  all  things  being  originally  in  the 
hands  of  the  Father,  the  provision  of  things  necessary 
to  the  fulfilling  of  the  will  of  God,  is  left  to  him; 
among  those  the  principal  was,  that  the  Son  should 
have  a  body  prepared  for  him,  that  so  he  might  have 
somewhat  of  his  own  to  offer;  wherefore  the  prepara- 
tion of  it  is  in  a  particular  manner  assigned  to  the  Fa- 
ther; "a  body  hast  thou  prepared  ine." 

§9.  "In  burnt  offerinos  and  sacrifices  for  sin  thou 
hast  had  no  pleasure."  Christ,  whose  words  in  the 
psalm  these  are,  doth  not  only  re  assert  what  wds 
before  spoken  in  general. but  also  gives  a  more  paitic- 
ular  account  of  what  sacrifices  they  weie  which  he  in- 
tended. 

"Barnt  offerings;  the  Hebrew  word  (JlS^J?)  though 
singular,  is  usually  rendered  by  the  Greek  {oXoyavlooi^aia) 
pUir^iUy;  and  the  former  word  refers  to  the  ascending 
of  the  smoke  of  the  sacrifices  in  their  birnirg  on  the 
altar;  a  pledge  of  that  sweet  savor ^  which  should  aiise 
to  God  above,  from  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  here  below; 
and  sometimes  they  are  called  tC>tJ?N}  f rings,  from 
the  way  of  their  consumption  on  the  altar  by  fire. 

The  other  sort  is  expressed  by  a  word  (Mh^Dn)  which 
the  Greek  renders  by  [repi  aij^upnag)  concerning  sin; 
for  (^*D^)  the  verb  in  Kal,  signifieth  to  sin,  and  in 
Piel,  to  expiate  sin.  Where  it  is  taken  in  the  latter 
sense,  the  Greek  renders  it  by  (xfp/  afj^aprieig)  "a  sacri- 
fice for  5in,"  or  a  sin  offering,  which  expression  is 
here  retained,  and  Rom.  viii,  3.  This  sacrifice,  there- 
fore, was  appointed,  both  for  the  sins  of  the  u^/iole 
congregation,  Lev.  xvi,  21;   and  the  special   sins  of 

VOL.    IV.  4 


2Sr  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  It. 

particular  persons.  The  one  offering  of  Christ  was 
really  to  effect  what  all  of  them  represented. 

Concerning  all  these  sacrifices,  it  is  added  [hk  evlo- 
■Aviaug)  thou  liadst  no  pleasure.  In  opposition  to  this, 
G.)d  gives  testimony  from  heaven  concerning  the  Lord 
Christ  and  his  undertaking.  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
{en  a  fuJoKvjc-fii)  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  Matt,  iii, 
17;  chap,  xvii,  5.  See  Isa.  xlii,  1;  Ephes.  i,  6.  This 
is  the  great  antithesis  between  the  law  and  the  gospel; 
"in  sacrifices  and  offerings  for  sin  thou  hadst  no  pleas- 
ure." ''This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased." 

§10.  "Then,  said  I,  lo,  I  come  (in  the  volume  of 
the  book  it  is  written  of  me)  to  do  tliy  will,  O  God." 
(EiTov)  I  said.  There  is  no  necessity,  as  was  before 
observed,  that  these  very  words  should  at  any  one 
season  be  spoken  by  our  Lord;  the  meaning  is:  ^  This 
is  my  resolution,  this  is  the  frame  of  my  mind  and 
will."  Hence,  whatever  difficulties  afterwards  arose, 
whatever  he  was  to  do  or  suffer,  there  was  nothing 
in  it,  but  what  he  had  before  solemnly  engaged  to  God. 
(To7£)  then  or  thereon;  for  it  may  respect  the  order  of 
time;  though  it  is  as  I  judge,  better  extended  to  the 
whole  case  in  hand.  When  things  were  come  to  this 
pass,  when  all  the  church  of  God's  elect  were  under 
the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  curse  of  the  law,  when  there 
was  no  hope  fcr  themselves,  nor  in  any  divine  institu- 
tion of  worship;  when  all  things  were  at  a  loss,  as  to 
our  recovery  and  salvation;  then  did  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  in  infinite  wisdom,  love,  and  grace,  inter- 
pose himself  on  our  behalf.  [Us)  behold!  A  glorious 
spectacle  it  was  to  God,  to  angels  and  to  men:  To  God, 
as  it  was  filled  with  the  highest  effects  of  infinite  good- 
ness, wisdom,  and  grace,  which  all  shone  forth  in  their 
greatest  elevation  and  lustre.  To  anoels,  for  in  this 
their  confirmation  and  establishment  in  glory  depen^- 


Ver.  5—10.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  29 

ed.Ephes.  i,  10;  which,  therefore,  they  endeavored  (with 
fear  and  reverence)  to  look  into,  1  Pet  i,  12,  13.  And 
as  to  men,  the  church  of  the  elect,  nothing  could  be  so 
glorious  in  their  sight,  nothing  so  desirable.  By  this 
call  of  Christ,  '^behold  I  come,"  the  eyes  of  all  crea- 
tures in  heaven  and  earth  ought  to  be  fixed  on  him,  to 
behold  the  glorious  work  he  had  undertaken,  and  its 
wonderful  accomplishment.  He  came  forth  like  the 
I'ising  sun,  with  healing  in  his  wings,  or  as  a  giant  re- 
joicing to  run  his  race. 

The  faith  of  the  old  testament  was,  that  he  was 
thus  to  come;  and  this  is  the  life  of  the  new,  that  he 
is  come.  They  by  whom  this  is  denied,  overthrow 
the  faith  of  the  gospel,  1  John  iii,  1 — 3.  He  that  did 
not  exist  before  in  the  divine  nature,  could  not  prom- 
ise to  come  in  the  human.  God,  and  he  alone,  knew 
what  was  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  his  will; 
and  if  it  might  have  been  otherwise  effected,  he  would 
have  spared  his  only  Son,  and  not  have  given  him  up 
to  death. 

§11.  The  end  of  this  promising  to  come,  is  to  do 
the  will  of  God;  "lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will  O  God." 

The  ''will  of  God"  is  here  taken  for  his  eternal  pur- 
pose and  design,  called  the  "counsel  of  his  will,"  Eph. 
i,  11;  yet  Christ  came  so  to  fulfil  the  will  God's  pur- 
pose,  as  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  fulfil  the  will  of  his 
command;  yea,  and  he  himself  \\2i6.  a  command  from 
God  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  work.  When  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  the 
glorious  counsels  of  God,  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit, 
broke  forth  with  light,  like  the  sun  in  his  strength  from 
under  the  cloud,  in  the  tenderize,  Son  made  of  himself 
to  the  Father,  '-lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will.  O  God; '  this, 
this  is  the  way,  the  only  way  whereby  the  will  of  God 
might  be  accomplished.     Herein  were  all  the  riches 


90  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  lo. 

of  divine  wisdom  displayed,  all  the  treasures  of  grace 
laid  oj3en,  all  shades  and  clouds  dispelled,  and  the  open 
door  of  salvation  made  evident  to  all. 

This  will  of  God,  Christ  came  to  do,  (to  xo/vio-av)  to 
effect,  to  establish  and  perfectly  fulfil;  he  did  it  in 
the  whole  work  of  his  mediation,  from  the  susception 
of  our  nature  in  the  womb,  to  what  he  doth  in  his 
sup'^eme  agency  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

This  seems  to  me  the  first  sense  of  the  place;  I 
should  not  however,  as  I  said  before,  exclude  the 
sense,  that  he  fulfilled  the  will  of  his  purpose,  by  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  his  commands;  hence  it  is  added 
in  the  psalm,  that  he  ^'delighted  to  do  the  will  of  God, 
and  that  his  law  was  in  the  midst  of  his  bowels." 

§12.  The  last  thing  is  the  ground  and  rule  of  this 
undertaking;"  "in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written 
of  me." 

The  Socinian  expositors  have  a  peculiar  notion  on 
this  place.  They  suppose  the  apostle  useth  this  ex- 
pression, (ev  ne(puXiBi)  in  the  volume,  to  denote  some 
special  chapter  or  place  in  the  law.  and  conjecture  it  to 
be  that  of  Deut.  xvii,  18,  19.  David  they  say,  spoke 
those  words  in  the  psalm,  and  it  is  no  where  said  that 
he  should  come  to  do  the  will  of  God,  bat  in  this 
place  of  Deuteronomy,  as  he  was  to  be  the  king  of 
that  people;  but  there  can  be  nothing  more  fond  than 
this  empty  conjecture.     For, 

1.  He  that  speaks,  doth  absolutely  pj^e/tr  his  own 
obedience,  as  to  worth  and  efficacy,  before  all  .God's 
institutions;  he  presents  it  to  God,  as  that  which  is 
more  useful  to  the  church,  than  all  the  sacrifices  which 
God  had  ordained-  this  David  could  not  justly  do. 

2.  There  is  nothing  spoken  in  Deuteronomy  con- 
eerning  the  sacerdotal  office,  but  only  of  the  regal; 
and  in  the  psalmist  there  is  no  respect  to  the  kingly 


Ver.  5—10.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  SI 

office,  but  only  to  the  priesthood;  for  the  comparison 
is  made  with  the  sacrifices  of  the  law,  but  the  offering 
of  these  sacrifices  was  expressly  foibidden  to  the 
kings;  as  is  manifest  in  the  instance  of  king  Uzziah, 
2  Chron.  xxvi,  18 — 20;  besides,  there  is  in  that  place 
of  Deuteronomy  nothing  that  belongs  to  David  in  a 
peculiar  manner. 

3.  The  words  there  recorded  contain  a  mere  pre- 
scription of  duty,  no  prediction  of  the  event,  which  for 
the  most  part  was  contrary  to  what  is  required;  but 
the  words  of  the  psalmist  are  a  divine  prediction  which 
must  be  actually  accomplished.  Nor  doth  our  Lord 
Christ  in  them  declare  what  was  prescribed  to  him, 
but  what  he  did  undertake  to  do,  and  the  record  that 
was  made  of  that  undertaking. 

4.  There  is  not  one  word  in  that  place  of  Moses 
concerning  the  removal  of  sacrifices  and  burnt  offer- 
ings,which,  as  the  apostle  declares,  is  the  principal  thing 
intended  by  the  psalmist;  ^-ea,  the  contrary,  as  to  the 
intended  season,  is  expressly  asserted;  for  the  king  was 
to  read  in  the  book  of  the  law  continually,  that  he 
might  observe  and  do  all  that  is  written  therein,  a  part 
whereof  consists  in  the  institution  and  observation  of 
sacrifices. 

5  This  interpretation  of  the  words  utterly  over- 
throws what  they  dispute  for  immediately  before;  viz. 
that  the  entrance  of  Christ  into  the  world  was  not  in- 
deed his  coming  into  this  world,  but  his  going  out  of 
it  and  entering  into  heaven;  for  it  cannot  be  denied 
but  that  the  obedience  of  reading  the  law  continually, 
and  doing  it,  is  to  be  attended  to  in  this  world  and  not 
in  heaven;  and  this  they  seem  to  acknowledge  so  as  to 
recall  their  own  exposition.  Other  absurdities,  which 
are  very  many  in  this  place,  I  shall  not  insist  upon. 

§13.   '-In  the  volume  of  the  book;"    {tv  ytCpaXiSi)  in 


S2  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  le. 

the  volume,  or  roll.  But  the  Hebrew  word  (*1£D) 
which  we  translate  a  book,  doth  not  signify  a  book  as 
written  in  a  roll,  but  only  an  enuntiation  or  declaration 
of  any  thing;  but  another  word  'n^:D;  is  properly  a 
Q^oll,  and  the  words  used  by  the  psalmist  signify,  that 
the  declaration  of  the  will  of  God  made  in  this  matter 
was  written  in  a  roll. 

As  the  book  itself,  was  one  roll,  so  in  the  head,  or 
the  beginning  of  it,  amongst  the  first  things  written 
in  it,  is  this  recorded  concerning  the  coming  of  Christ 
to  do  the  will  of  God.  Now  this  can  be  no  other  than 
the  first  promise  recorded  Gen.  iii,  15.  In  this  pro- 
mise, and  the  writing  of  it  in  the  head  of  the  volume, 
is  the  psalmist's  assertion  verified.  However,  the  fol- 
lowing declarations  of  the  will  of  God  are  not  exclu- 
ded; for  indeed  the  whole  volume  of  the  law  is  nothing 
hut  Si  pr  edict  ion  oi  the  coming  of  Christ,  andapresigni- 
ficalion  of  what  he  had  to  do;  even  that  book  which  God 
had  given  to  the  church,  as  the  only  guide  of  its  faith — 
the  Bible — wherein  all  divine  precepts  and  promises 
are  enrolled  or  recorded. 

§14.  "Above  when  he  says,"  &c.  What  he  de- 
signed to  prove  was,  that  by  the  introduction  and  es- 
tablishment of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  in  the  church, 
there  was  an  end  put  to  all  legal  sacrifices;  and  now 
adds,  that  the  ground  and  reason  of  this  great  alteration 
was  the  utter  insufficiency  oftheselegalsacrificesin  them- 
selves for  the  expiation  of  sin  and  sanctification  of  the 
church.  And  ver  9,  he  gives  us  this  as  the  sum  of 
his  design;  ''He  takes  away  the  first,  that  he  may  es- 
tablish the  second."  B-.t  the  apostle  doth  not  here 
directly  argue  from  the  matter  of  the  testimony  itself, 
but  from  the  order  of  the  words,  and  the  regard  they 
have  in  their  order  to  ,one  another;  for  there  is  in 
them  a  two-fold  proposition;  one  concerning  the 
rejection   of  legal  sacrifices;  the  other,  an  introduc- 


Vfh.5— 10.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  33 

tion  and  tender  of  Christ  and  his  mediation.  And  he 
declares,  from  the  order  of  tlie  words  in  the  psalmist, 
that  these  things  are  insepurahle,  viz.  the  faking  away 
of  legal  sacrifices  and  tlie  establishment  of  that  of 
Christ.  Again,  we  may  remark,  he  had  respect  not 
only  to  the  removal  of  the  sacrifices,  but  also  of  the 
law  itself,  whereby  they  were  retained.  Allowing 
these  sacrifices  and  offerings  all  that  they  could  pre- 
tend to, — that  they  were  established  by  the  law:  yet^ 
notwithstanding  this,  God  rejects  them  as  to  the  ex- 
piation of  sin  and  the  salvation  of  the  church. 

After  this  was  stated  and  delivered,  when  the  mind 
of  God  was  expressly  declared,  as  to  his  rejection  of 
legal  sacrifices,  and  offerings,  {toIe)  then  he  said  upon 
the  grounds  before  mentioned,  "sacrifice,"  &c.  In  the 
former  words  he  declared  the  mind  of  God,  and  in 
the  latter  his  own  resolution  to  comply  with  his  will, 
in  order  to  another  way  of  atonement,  ^'Lo,  I  come  to 
do  thy  will,  O  God."  It  is  evident,  that  these  words 
{d'jutpei  TO  Tpo7ov)  'Haketh  away  thefirst,^^  intend  sacri- 
fices and  olferings,  which  he  did  not  immediately,  but 
declaratively,  indicating  the  time,  that  is,  ^^  hen  the 
second  -hould  be  intioduced.  The  end  of  this  removal 
of  the  first  was  the  establishment  of  the  second:  this 
second,  say  some,  "is  the  will  of  God;"  but  the  opposi- 
tion made  before  is  not  between  the  will  of  God 
and  the  legal  sacrifices,  but  between  those  sacrifices 
and  the  coming  of  Christ  to  do  the  will  of  God. 
Wherefore  'the  second''^  is  the  way  of  expiating  sin, 
and  of  the  complete  sanctification  of  the  church  by  the 
coming  and  sacrifice  of  Christ. 

%\b.  "By  the  which  will  we  are  sanctified  through 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all." 
From  the  whole  context  the  apostle  makes  an  infer- 
ence, which  comprehends  the  substance  of  the  gospel. 
(Hy<«(7a5vo/  e<r|Xfv)  we  are  sancfiff^    relates  not  only 


M  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  1©. 

to  the  things,  but  also  the  time  of  the  offering;  for  al- 
though all  therein  intended  did  not  immediately  follow 
on  the  death  of  Christ,  yet  were  they  all  in  it,  as  the 
effects  in  their  proper  cause,  to  be  produced  by  virtue 
of  it  in  their  due  time. 

This  end  of  God,  through  offering  the  body  of 
Christ,  was  the  sanctification  of  the  church,  "we  are 
sanr^tified."  The  principal  notion  oi  sanctification,  in 
the  New  Testameift,  is  the  effecting  of  real  internal 
holiness  in  the  peisjns  of  believers  by  the  change  of 
their  hearts  and  lives:  but  the  word  is  not  here  to  be 
restrained;  nor  is  it  used  in  that  sense  in  this  epistle 
or  at  least  very  rarely.  It  is  here  plainly  comprehen- 
sive of  all  that  he  hath  denied  to  the  law,  priesthood,  and 
sacrifices  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  the  whole  church 
state  of  the  Hebrews  under  it,  and  the  effects  of  their 
ordinances  and  services;  ipaitculdiAy  a  complete  dedica- 
tion to  God,  in  opposition  to  the  typical  one;  a  com- 
plete church  state  for  the  celebration  of  spiritual  wor- 
ship, by  the  administiation  of  the  Spirit;  peace  'with 
God  upon  a  full  and  perfect  expiation  of  sin,  which  he 
denies  to  the  sacrifices  of  the  law,  ver  i,  4;  real  inter- 
nal purification.^  or  the  sanctification  of  our  natures 
and  persons;  the  privileges  of  the  gospel,  in  liberty, 
boldness,  and  immediate  access  to  God,  in  opposition 
to  that  fear,  bondage,  distance,  and  exclusion  from  the 
holy  place  of  the  divine  presence,  under  which  they  of 
old  were  kept.  All  these  things  are  comprised  in  this 
expression  of  the  apostle,  "itie  arc  sanctified" 

It  was  the  "will,"  that  is,  the  counsel,  the  decree  of 
God,  that  the  church  should  be  sanctified.  Our  Lord 
Christ  knew  that  this  was  the  icill  of  the  Father,  in 
whose  bosom  he  was.  And  God  had  determined,  which 
also  the  Son  knew  and  declared,  the  legal  sacrifices 
could  not  make  effectual  this  his  will  so  as  thatthechurch 


Ver.  5—10.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  35 

might  be  sanctified.  Wherefore  the  "^e3^//  of  God,'^ 
here  intended  is  nothing  but  the  eternal,  gracious,  free 
purpose  of  his  will,  whereby  he  determined,  or  purpos- 
ed in  himself,  to  recover  a  church  out  of  lost  mankind, 
to  sauc/i/?/ them  to  himself,  and  to  bring  them  to  the 
enjoyment  of  himself  for  ever,  see  Eph.  i,  4 — 9.  And 
this  will  is  not  at  all  oj9po6fefZ  to  the  legal  sacrifices  except 
when  obtruded  as  the  sufficient  means  of  its  accom- 
plishment. Our  sanctification  is  effected  by  the  "of- 
fering of  the  body  of  Christ:" — in  that  thereby  the  ex- 
piation of  our  sins  and  reconciliation  with  God  were 
perfectly  wrought;  and  thereby  the  whole  church  of 
the  elect  was  dedicated  to  God:  he  redeemed  us  there- 
by from  the  whole  curse  of  the  law,  the  original  law 
of  nature,  and  the  covenant  of  Sinai;  thereby  he  rati- 
fied the  new  covenant  and  all  its  rich  promises;  in 
short,  Christ  crucified  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  the 
power  of  God  to  this  end  (Eituijicil)  once  for  all,  once 
only;  it  was  never  before  that  one  time,  nor  shall  ever 
be  afterwards;  there  remains  no  more  off  ring  for  sin; 
and  this  demonstrates  both  the  dignity  and  efficacy  of 
his  sacrifice.  Of  such  'worth  and  dignity  it  was,  that 
God  absolutely  acquiesced  therein,  and  smelled  a  sa- 
vor of  eternal  rest  in  it;  and  of  such  efficacy,  that  the 
sanctification  of  the  church  was  perfected  by  it,  so  that 
it  needed  no  repetition. 

§16.  (II.)  From  these  verses  and  their  exposition 
we  are  furnished  with  several  observations: 

1.  We  have  the  solemn  word  of  Christ,  in  the  de- 
claration he  made  of  his  readiness  and  willingness  td 
undertake  the  work  of  expiating  sin,  proposed  to  our 
faith,  and  engaged  as  the  sure  anchor  of  our  souls. 

2.  The  Lord  Christ  had  an  infinite  prospect  of  all 
he  was  to  do  and  suffer  ia  the  world,  in  the  discharge 

VOL.    IV.  5 


36  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

of  his  undertaking;  and  an  eternal  evidence  it  is  of  his 
/oTe,  asalso  of  the  d'ly'me  justice,  in  laying  all  our  sins 
on  him,  seeing  it  was  done  by  his  own  voluntary  con- 
sent. 

3.  No  sacrifices  of  the  law,  not  all  of  them  altogeth- 
er, were  a  means  for  the  exjDiation  of  sin  suited  to  the 
glory  of  God  or  necessities  of  our  souls. 

4.  God  may  in  his  wisdom  appoint  and  accept  of 
ordinances  and  duties  to  one  end,  which  he  will  reject 
when  they  are  appointed  to  another',  so  those  sacrifi- 
ces are  in  other  places,  for  other  ends,  most  strictly  en- 
joined. How  express,  how  multiplied  are  his  com- 
mands for  o-oarZ  ttw/rs,  and  our  abounding  in  them! 
yet  when  they  are  made  the  matter  of  our  righteous- 
ness, or  regarded  as  sufTicient  to  answer  the  end  of  our 
justification  at  the  divine  bar,  they  are  deservedly  re- 
jected. 

§17.  1.  The  supreme  contrivance  of  the  salvation 
of  the  church  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  ascribed  to  the 
person  of  the  Father. 

2.  The  furniture  of  the  Lord  Christ  (though  the 
Son,  and  in  his  divine  person  the  Lord  of  all)  to  the 
discharge  of  his  work  of  mediation,  was  the  peculiar 
act  of  the  Father;  He  prepared  him  a  body,  he  anoint- 
ed him  with  the  Spirit,  it  pleased  the  Father  that  all 
fidness  should  dwell  in  him. 

3.  Whatever  God  appoints  and  calls  any  to,  he  will 
provide  for  them  all  that  is  needful  for  the  discharge 
of  such  duties  as  come  thereby  to  be  incumbent  on 
them;  as  he  prepared  a  body  for  Christ;  so  he  will 
provide  gifts,  abilities,  &c.  suitable  to  our  proper 
work. 

4.  Not  only  the  love  and  grace  of  God  in  sending 
his  Son,  are  continually  to  be  admired  and  glorified; 
but  also  the  actings  of  infinite  wisdom,  in  fitting  and 
preparing  his  human  nature,  as  every  way  meet  for 


Ver.  5—10.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  37 

the  all  important  work,  ought  to  be  the  special  object 
of  our  contemplation. 

5.  The  ineffable,  but  yet  distinct,  operation  of  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  with  respect  to  the  human  na- 
ture assumed  by  the  Son,  are  not  only  an  uncontrol- 
able  evidence  of  their  distinct  subsistence  in  the  same 
individual  divine  essence;  but  also  a  guidance  to  faith, 
as  to  all  their  distinct  actings  towards  us  in  the  appli- 
cation of  redemption  to  our  souls. 

§18.  1.  It  is  the  will  of  God,  that  the  church  should 
take  special  notice  of  this  sacred  truth,  that  nothing 
can  take  away  sin  but  the  blood  of  Christ  alone; 
hence  is  the  vehemency  of  the  rejection  of  all  other 
means  in  the  repetition  of  these  words. 

2.  Whatever  may  be  the  use  or  efficacy  of  any  or- 
dinance of  worship,  yet  if  they  are  employed,  or  trusted 
to  for  such  ends  as  God  hath  not  designed,  he  neither 
accepts  of  our  persons  in  them,  nor  approves  of  the 
things  themselves. 

3.  The  foundation  of  the  whole  glorious  work  of 
salvation  was  laid  in  the  sovereign  will,  pleasure,  and 
grace  of  God,  even  the  Father.  Christ  came  only  to 
do  his  will. 

4.  The  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh  was,  in  the 
wisdom,  righteousness,  and  holiness  of  God,  necessary 
to  fulfil  his  will,  that  we  might  be  saved  to  his  eternal 
glory. 

5.  The  fundamental  motive  to  Christ's  undertaking 
the  work  of  mediation  was  the  will  and  glory  of  God; 
"Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will." 

6.  God's  records  in  the  roll  of  his  book  are  the 
foundation  and  warranty  of  faith,  in  the  head  and 
members. 

7.  The  Lord  Christ,  in  all  he  did  and  suffered,  had 
continual  respect  of  what  was  written  of  him,  sec 
Matt,  xxvi,  24. 


38  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

8.  In  the  record  of  these  words,  God  was  glorified 
in  his  truth  xri.\  faithfulness;  Christ  was  secured  in 
his  work  aiid  undertaking;  a  testimony  was  given  to 
his  person  and  office;  direction  is  given  to  the  church 
in  all,  wherein  they  have  to  do  with  God,  namely, 
^'what  is  written;  the  things  which  concern  Christ  the 
Mediator,  are  Us^puKig)  the  liead  of  what  is  contained 
in  the  same  records. 

§19.   1.  Whereas  the  apostle  plainly  distributes  all 

sacrifices  and  offerings  into  those  which  were  offered  by 

the  law,  and  that  one  offering  of  the  body  of  Christ; 

f  the  pretended  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  utterly  rejected 

from  any  place  in  the  worship  of  God. 

2.  God,  as  the  sovereign  law-giver,  had  always 
power  and  authority  to  make  what  alteration  he  pleas- 
ed in  the  orders  and  institutions  of  his  worship. 

3.  That  sovereign  authority  alone  is  what  our  faith 
and  obedience  respect  in  all  ordinances  of  worship. 

4.  As  all  things  from  the  beginning  made  way  for 
the  coming  of  Chtist  in  the  minds  of  believers,  so  every 
thing  was  to  be  removed  out  of  the  way  that  should 
hinder  his  coming,  and  the  discharge  of  his  work;  law, 
temple,  sacrifices,  must  all  be  removed;  so  it  must  be 
in  our  hearts,  all  things  must  give  way  to  him,  or  he 
will  not  come  and  take  his  habitation  in  them. 

3.  Truth  is  never  so  effectually  declared,  as  when  it 
is  confirmed  by  the  experience  of  its  power  in  them 
that  believe  it,  and  make  profession  of  it.  '-We  are 
sanctified," 

6.  It  is  an  holy  glorying  in  God,  and  no  unlawful 
boasting,  for  men  openly  to  profess  what  they  are 
made  partakers  of  by  divine  grace. 

7.  It  is  the  best  security  in  differences  about  relig- 
ion (such  as  these  wherein  the  apostle  is  engaged,  the 
greatest  and  highest  that  ever  were)  when  men  have 
an  inter iial  experienqe  of  the  truth  which  they  profess. 

/ 


Vkh.    11—14.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  39 


VERSES  11—14. 
Jnd  every  firiest  st^tjdeth  daihj  mi7ii.steri?ig;  and  offering  often- 
times the  fiawe  sacrifices,  ivhich  can  never  laj^e  a  wan  sins:  bvt 
this  man,  after  he  hud  offend  one  sacrifice  for  sin,  for  ever  sat 
do^jvnoTi  the  fii^lit  hand  of  God^  from  henceforth  expecting  till 
his  enemies  be  made  his  foolfitool;  for  by  one  offering  he  hath 
fierfecledfor  ever  them  that  are  sanctified. 

§1.  Introduction.  §2.  (F.)  E\[)o«ition  of  the  words  f3  The  legal  sacrifices 
could  not  take  away  sin.  ;^4  Miit  Christ's  one  sacrifice  could.  §5,  6.  How 
affected  towards  his  enemies  J7.  The  i)eil'ection  and  effect  of  his  sacrifice. 
§8—10    (11. 3   Observations. 

§1.  1  HESE  words  are  an  entrance  into  the  close  of 
the  apostle's  elaborate  blessed  discourse,  concerning  the 
priesthood  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  their  dignity  and  ef- 
ficacy, which  he  finished  in  the  following  verses,  con- 
firming the  whole  with  the  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  before  produced. 

§2.  (I.)  "And  every  priest,"  &c.     (Kai)  a?id  gives  a 
farther  reason  of  the  efficacy  of  Christ's  sacrifice,  by  a 
comparison  of  it  with  those  of  the  priests,  which  were  ^ 
often  repeated.     {Yla;  lepsv?)  every  priest;  that  is,  say  » 
some,  evenj  hioh  priest,  referring  the  whole  to  the  an-  | 
niversary  sacrifice  on  the  day  of  expiation;  but  it  can-  I 
not  be  here  so  restrained,  for  now  he  makes  application  ■ 
of  what  he  had  spoken  before  of  all  the  legal  sacri- 
fices. 

And  the  following  expression,  (calv^ne  -au^"  yyiepeev 
Af<i8pywv)  stood  ministering  every  day,  declares  the 
constant  discharge  of  the  priestly  office  in  every  daily 
ministration.  Therefore  all  the  priests,  while  it  was 
in  force,  and  their  'UDhole  office,  as  to  all  that  belonged 
to  the  offering  of  sacrifices,  are  comprised  in  the  asser- 
tion. 

Stoo'l  or  standeth  ready  for,  and  employed  in  the 
work  of  the  priestly  office,  (Af/lapywv)   ministei^ing,  a 


40  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

general  name  of  employment  about  all  sacred  duties, 
services,  and  offices  whatever;  (xafi'  ^xspccv)  day  by  day, 
as  occasion  required  according  to  the  appointment  of 
the  law;  for,  beside  the  daily  sacrifice  morning  and 
evening,  any  man  might  bring  his  sin  offering,  and 
trespass  offering,  his  peace  offering,  his  vow,  or  free 
will  offering  to  the  priest  at  any  time  to  be  offered  on 
the  altar. 

For  this  cause  they  came  to  be  always  in  readiness 
to  ^'•stand  ministering  daily,''^  to  which  their  office  was 
confined.  There  was  no  end  of  their  work,  they  were 
never  brought  to  that  state  by  them  as  the  High  Priest 
might  cease  from  the  ministering,  and  enter  into  a  con- 
dition of  rest;  they  all  fell  under  the  same  censure,  that 
they  could  not  take  away  sin. 

%S.  They  "could  not"  (repieKeiv)  take  them  out  of 
the  way;  that  is,  absolutely,  perfectly,  as  the  word  de- 
notes, either  from  before  God  the  judge,  ver.  4,  or  as 
to  the  sinner's  conscience,  giving  him  assured  peace; 
no,  (8Jf TTolf  ^vvccvlcit)  they  could  not  do  it;  the  defect  was 
in  their  own  nature;  therefore  they  could  not  do  it  by 
any  means^  nor  at  any  time,  Isa.  i,  U;  Mich,  vi,  6,  7. 
If  the  apostle  proveth,  beyond  contradiction,  that  none 
of  them  can  ever  take  away  any  sin,  how  much  less 
can  the  inventions  of  men  effect  that  great  end? 

§4.  "After  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins;"  he 
offered  only  one  sacrifice,  not  many;  and  it  was  but 
once  offered;  and  that  before  he  sat  down  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  which  was  the  immediate  consequence 
of  his  offering,  see  on  chap,  vii,  3;  chap,  viii,  1;  which 
here  includes  a  double  opposition  to,  and  preference 
above  the  state  of  the  legal  priests  upon  their  oblations; 
for  although  the  high  priest  in  his  anniversary  sacrifice 
entered  into  the  holy  place,  where  were  the  visible 
pledges  of  the  divine  presence;   yet  he  sat   not,  but 


Ver.  11—14.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  41 

stood  in  a  posture  of  humble  ministration,  sufficiently 
remote  from  any  appearance  of  dignity  and  honor; 
again,  his  abode  in  the  typical  holy  place  was  for  a 
short  season  only;  but  Christ  sat  down  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  (si;  ro  Sivivensg,  in  perpetuum)  for  ever, 
in  an  unalterable  state  and  condition,  never  to  offer 
sacrifice  any  more.  God  was  absolutely  pleased,  sat- 
isfied, and  highly  glorified  by  his  offering;  for  if  it  had 
not  been  so,  the  human  nature  of  Christ  had  not  been 
immediately  exalted  into  the  highest  glory  of  which  it 
was  capable,  sec  Eph.  v,  1,  2;  Phil,  ii,  7 — 9. 

§5.  "From  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be 
made  his  footstool."  I  acknowledge  my  thoughts  are 
inclined  to  a  peculiar  interpretation  of  this  place,  though 
I  will  not  oppose  absolutely  what  is  commonly  receiv- 
ed; the  assertion  is  introduced  by  {to  hoi'xov)  henceforth, 
say  we,  as  to  what  remains,  that  is,  of  the  dispensation 
of  the  personal  ministry  of  Christ;  He  came  to  his 
own,  very  few  believed  on  him;  the  generality  of  the 
people,  the  rulers,  priests,  and  guides  of  the  church, 
engaged  against  him,  persecuted,  falsely  accused,  killed, 
and  crucified  him.  Under  the  veil  of  their  rage  and 
cruelty,  he  carried  on  his  work,  taking  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself.  Having  fulfilled  this  work, 
and  thereby  wrought  out  the  eternal  salvation  of  the 
church,  "he  sits  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God;"  yet 
did  they  triumph,  that  they  had  prevailed  against  him, 
and  destroyed  him,  as  some  of  their  posterity  do  this 
day.  It  was  the  judgment  of  God,  that  those,  his  ob- 
stinate enemies,  should,  by  his  power,  be  utterly  des- 
troyed in  this  world,  as  a  pledge  of  the  eternal  destruc- 
tion of  those,  who  will  not  believe  the  gospel,  Matt, 
xxii,  7;  Luke  xix.  27. 


4g  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  taxv.  ICT. 

After  our  Lord  Christ  left  this  world,  there  was  a 
mighiy  contest  between  the  dying  apostate  church  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  rising  gospel  church  of  believers. 
The  Jews  boasted  on  their  success — in  that  they  had 
destroyed  him  as  a  malefactor.  The  apostles  and  the 
church  gave  testimony  to  his  resurrection  and  glory  in 
heaven.  Great  expectation  there  was,  what  would  be 
the  end  of  these  things,  which  way  the  scale  should 
turn.  After  a  while,  a  visible  and  glorious  determi- 
nation was  made  of  this  controversy;  God  sent  forth 
his  armies,  and  destroyed  these  murderers,  burning  up 
their  city.  Those  enemies  of  the  King,  which  would 
not  have  him  to  reign  over  them,  were  brought  forth, 
and  slain  before  his  face;  and  so  were  all  his  enemies 
made  his  footstool.  These,  I  judge,  are  the  enemies 
of  Christ,  and  this  the  making  of  them  his  footstool. 

This  description  of  his  enemies,  ns  his,  peculiarly 
directs  to  this  interpretation;  these  being  peculiarly  the 
enemies  of  his  person,  doctrine,  and  glory,  with  whom 
he  had  so  many  contests,  and  whose  blasphemous 
contradictions  he  patiently  underwent;  and  to  this,  the 
word,  (f"-'.5t%o/x£vo?)  expect i}7g,  better  answers,  than  to 
the  other  sense;  for  the  visible  propagation  of  the  gos- 
pel was  carried  on  gloriously  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and 4hese  his  enemies;  and  expectation  may 
be  no  less  distinctly  ascribed  to  him,  in  reference  to 
this  event,  that  if  we  extend  the  word  to  the  :it^hole 
time,  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  act  of  vengeance  on  these  his  enemies,  is  not 
said  to  be  his  own.  but  is  peculiarly  assigned  to  God  the 
Father,  who  employed  the  Romans,  by  whom  these 
rebel]io!is  foes  were,  as  the  footstool  of  Christ,  abso- 
lutely trodden  under  his  feet. 

^6.  I  leave  this  iiiterpretafion  to  the  thoughts  of  the 
judicious,  and  shall  further  consider  them  according  to 


Ver.  11—14.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  43 

the  generally  received  opinion,  (0/  sx^poi)  ^^his  enemies^ 
He  hath  had  many  enemies  since  his  exaltation,  and 
so  shall  have  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,  when 
they  shall  all  be  triumphed  over.  All  the  devils  are 
in  a  combination,  as  sworn  enemies  to  the  per- 
son of  Christ  and  his  kingdom;  and  for  men,  the 
whole  world  of  unbelieving  Jews,  Mahometans,  and 
Pagans,  pernicious  heretics  and  false  professors,  are  all 
in  different  respects  his  enemies;  but  "they  shall  be  made 
his  footstool;"  (ew?  re^wcr/v)  '^until  they  he  putf  they 
shall  be  placed  in  this  condition  whether  they  will  or 
no,  as  the  word  signifies.  (TttoxoJ/ov  twv  ttoJwv  uvIu^v) 
^Hhe  footstool  of  his  feet, ''^  'd  despised  conquered  condi- 
tion; a  state  of  a  mean  subjected  people,  deprived  of 
all  power  and  benefit,  and  brought  into  absolute  sub- 
jection. They  sat  on  thrones,  but  now  are  under  the 
seat,  yea,  under  the  feet  of  him,  who  is  the  only  poten- 
tate. They  shall  not  hurt,  or  destroy  in  the  Lord's  holy 
mountain.  Sin,  death,  the  grave,  and  hell,  as  to  their 
opposition  to  the  church,  shall  be  utterly  destroyed,  1 
Cor,  XV,  55 — 57.  The  word  [eag]  until,  hath  here  re- 
spect to  both  the  gradual  and  final  destruction  of  all 
the  enemies  of  Christ.  "Henceforth  expecting;"  ex- 
pectation and  waiting  are  ascribed  to  Christ,  as  they 
are  in  the  scripture  to  God  himself,  only  in  the  im- 
proper sense  of  the  terms;  not  including  hope,  or  un- 
certainty of  the  event,  or  a  desire  of  any  thing,  other- 
wise than  as  they  are  foreknown  and  determined;  but 
expectation  here  is  the  rest,  and  complacency  of  Christ 
in  the  faithfidness  of  God's  promises,  and  his  infinite 
wisdom  as  to  the  season  of  their  accomplishment;  but, 
saith  the  apostle,  as  to  "what  remains'''^  to  the  Lord 
Christ,  in  the  discharge  of  his  office,  he  is  henceforth 
no  more  to  offer;  he  is  for  ever  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  glory  that  was  set  before  him,  satisfied  in  the  prom- 

VOL.   IV.  6 


U  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CtfAP.  W. 

ises,  the  power,  and  wisdom  of  God,  for  the  complete 
effecting  of  his  mediatory  office,  in  the  eternal  salvation 
of  the  church,  and  by  the  conquest  and  destruction  of 
all  his  and  their  enemies  in  their  proper  times  and 
seasons. 

§7.  "For  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever 
them  that  are  sanctified."  He  did  not  repeat  his  offer- 
ing as  the  legal  priests  did  theirs;  he  is  sat  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  expecting  his  enemies  to  be  made 
his  footstool,  (wherein  they  had  no  share  after  their 
oblation)  "because,  by  one  offering  he  hath  for  ever 
perfected  them  that  are  sanctified."  This  being  done, 
there  is  nothing  that  should  detain  the  Lord  Jesus  out 
of  the  possession  of  his  glory.  {Mtu  'xpo'7(po^a)  by  one 
offering;  the  eminency  of  which  the  apostle  had  be- 
fore declared,  and  which  here  he  refers  to. — "Them 
that  are  sanctified;"  those  who  are  dedicated  to  God 
by  virtue  of  this  sacrifice,  and  to  whom  all  the  other 
effects  are  confined.  First,  to'  sanctify  and  then  to  joer- 
fect  them,  was  the  design  of  Christ  in  offering  himself. 
So  the  church  of  Israel  was  first  "sanctified,"  de^izcafed^ 
to  God  by  the  sacrifices,  wherewith  the  covenant  was 
confirmed,  Exod.  xxiv,  and  afterwards  pe?/ec^e(i,  so  far 
as  their  church  state  and  worship  would  permit;  but 
now  he  hath  brought  them  into  the  most  perfect  and 
consummate  church  state,  and  relation  to  God,  that 
the  church  is  capable  of  in  this  world,  [biq  to  ^iViVsviBo) 
for  ever,  so  that  there  shall  never  be  any  alteration 
made  in  that  state,  nor  even  any  addition  of  privilege. 

§8.  (II.)  From  this  interpretation  of  the  words,  we 
may  make  these  observations: 

1.  If  all  those  divine  institutions,  in  the  diligent  ob- 
servance of  them,  could  not  take  away  sin,  how  much 
less  can  any  thing,  that  we  can  betake  ourselves  to, 
avail  to  that  end? 


Ver.  n^l4.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  43 

2.  Faith  in  Christ  jointly  respects  both  his  oblation 
of  himself  by  death,  and  the  glorious  exaltation  that 
ensued.  He  so  offered  o:ie  sacrifice  for  sin,  as  that  in 
consequence  of  it,  he  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
God  for  ever.  Neither  of  these  separately  is  a  full 
object  for  faith  to  find  rest  in;  but  both  in  conjunction 
are  an  immoveable  rock  to  build  on.     And, 

3.  Christ,  in  this  order  of  things,  is  the  greatest  ex- 
ample of  the  church.  He  suffered,  and  then  entered 
into  glory.  "If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him." 

4.  The  horrible  destruction  of  the  stubborn  enemies 
of  Christ's  person  and  office  among  the  Jews,  is  a  stand' 
ing  security  of  the  endless  destruction  of  all  who  re^ 
main  his  obstinate  adversaries. 

§9.  It  was  the  entrance  of  sin,  which  raised  up  all 
our  enemies  against  us;  from  them  came  death,  the 
grave,  and  hell. 

2.  The  Lord  Christ,  in  his  ineffable  love  and  grace, 
put  himself  between  us  and  our  enemies;  and  took  in- 
to his  breast  all  their  swords^,  wherewith  they  were 
armed  against  us. 

3.  The  Lord  Jesus  by  the  offering  of  himself,  making 
peace  with  God,  ruined  all  the  church's  enemies;  for 
all  their  power  arose  from  the  just  displeasure  of  God^ 
and  the  curse  of  his  law. 

4.  It  is  the  foundation  of  all  consolation  to  the 
church,  that  Christ,  even  now  in  heaven,  takes  all  our 
enemies  to  be  ^^  in  whose  destruction  he  is  infinitely 
more  concerned  than  we  are. 

5.  Let  us  never  esteem  any  thing,  or  any  person,  to 
be  our  enfemy,  but  only  so  far  as^  and  in  what,  they  are 
the  enemies  of  Christ. 

6.  It  is  our  duty  to  conform  ourselves  to  the  Lord 
Christ,  in  a  quiet  expectation  of  the  ruin  of  all  our  sp,"iv 
jtual  adversaries. 


46  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

7.  Envy  not  the  condition  of  the  most  proud  and 
cruel  adversaries  of  the  church;  for  they  are  absolutely 
in  his  power,  and  shall  be  cast  under  his  footstool  at 
the  appointed  season. 

§10,  1.  There  was  a  glorious  efficacy  in  the  one 
offering  of  Christ. 

2.  The  end  of  it  must  be  effectually  accomplished 
towards  all  for  whom  it  was  offered;  or  else  it  is  in- 
ferior to  the  legal  sacrifices,  for  they  attained  their 
proper  end. 

3.  The  sanctification  and  perfection  of  the  church 
being  the  designed  end  of  the  death  and  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  all  things  necessary  to  that  end  must  be  inclu- 
ded. 


VERSES  15...18. 

Wherefore  the  Holy  Ghost  also  is  a  nvitness  to  us;  for  after  that 

he  had  said  before^  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with 

them  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  fiut  my  laws  into 

their  hearts,  atid  in  their  nmids  will  I  write  them,  and  their  sins 

\  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more;  now^  where  remission 

I  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for  sin. 

$!•  The  connexion  and  design  of  the  words.  The  latter  part  of  them  elliptical. 
§2.  An  objection  implied  and  answered.  §3.  The  words  have  been  before  ex- 
plained. The  apostle's  argument  from  them.  $4  The  doctrinal  part  of  this 
episile  conchided.  The  author  s  devout  acknowledgemeat  of  divine  assistance 
in  this  laborious  work. 

§1.  J- HE  foundation  of  the  whole  preceding  dis- 
course was  laid  in  the  description  of  the  new  covenant, 
whereof  Jesus  was  the  mediator,  which  was  confirm- 
ed, and  ratified  by  his  sacinfice,  as  the  old  covenant 
was  by  the  "blood  of  bulls  and  goats,"  chap,  viii, 
10 — 13.  Having  now  abundantly  proved  what  he  de- 
signed concerning  them  both,  his  priesthood  and  his 
sacrifice,  he  gives  us  a  confirmation  of  the  whole,  from 
the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Jer.  xxxi,  in  the  de- 
scription of  that  covenant  which  he  had  given  before; 


Ver.  5—18.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  47 

and  because  the  crisis  which  he  had  brought  his  argu- 
ment to  was,  that  the  Lord  Christ,  by  reason  of  the 
dignity  of  his  person  and  office,  with  the  everlasting 
efficacy  of  his  sacrifice,  was  to  offer  himself  but  once, 
which  includes  an  immediate  demonstration  of  the  in- 
sufficiency of  all  those  sacrifices  which  were  often  re- 
peated, and  consequently  their  removal  out  of  the 
church;  he  returns  to  that  passage  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
for  the  proof  of  this  particular  also,  from  the  order  of 
the  words. 

Wherefore  there  is  an  ellipsis  in  the  words,  which 
must  have  a  supplement  to  render  the  sense  perfect: 
"after  he  had  said  before,  ver.  11,  he  said;"  that  is, 
after  he  had  spoken  of  the  internal  grace  of  the  cove- 
nant, he  said  this  also,  that  their  sins  and  iniquities  he 
would  remember  no  more;  for  from  these  words  doth 
he  make  his  conclusive  inference,  ver.  1 8,  which  is  the 
sum  of  all  that  he  designed  to  prove. 

§2.  The  Hebrews  might  object  to  him,  as  they  were 
always  ready  enough  to  do  it,  that  all  things  were  but 
his  own  conclusions,  which  they  would  not  acquiesce 
in,  unless  confirmed  by  scripture  testimonies;  therefore 
he  appeals  to  their  own  acknowledged  principles  of 
the  Old  Testament;  so  manifesting,  that  there  was  no- 
thing now  proposed  to  them  in  the  gospel,  but  what 
was  promised  and  represented  in  the  Old  Testament, 
and  was  therefore  the  object  of  the  faith  of  their  fore- 
fathers. 

The  author  of  this  testimony  is  ^'the  Holy  Ghost" 
not  only  as  holy  men  of  old  wrote  as  they  were  acted 
by  him,  and  so  he  was  the  author  of  the  whole  scrip- 
ture; but  because,  also,  of  his  continual  presence  and 
authority  in  it,  (/xap7upeO  he  bears  witness  actually,  and 
constantly  by  his  authority  in  the  scriptures;  not  to  us 
only,  who  are  apostles,  and  other  Christian  teachers, 


48  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

but  to  all  of  us;  Israelites,  who  acknowledge  the  truth 
of  the  scriptures,  and  own  them  as  the  rule  of  our  faith 
and  obedience.  {Kai  to  wevij.a.  to  ccyiov)  even  also  the 
Holy  Sjnrit  himself.  Herein  we  are  directed  to  his 
holy  divine  person,  and  not  an  external  operation  of 
divine  power;  and  it  is  that  Holy  Spirit  himself,  who 
continueth  to  speak  to  us  in  the  scripture. 

§3.  The  words  themselves  have  been  explained  at 
large  in  chap,  viii,  where  they  are  first  produced.  We 
are  here  only  to  consider  the  apostle's  argument  from 
the  latter  part  of  them;  which  is,  that  the  covenant  be- 
in^confirmed  and  established,  by  the  one  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  there  can  be  no  more  offering  for  sin;  for  God 
will  never  appoint  what  is  needless  in  his  service,  least 
of  all  in  things  of  so  great  importance  as  offering  for 
sin;  yea,  the  continuation  of  such  sacrifices  will  over- 
throw the  faith  of  the  church  and  all  the  grace  of  the 
new  covenant;  for,  saith  the  apostle,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  testifieth,  that  as  it  was  confirmed  by  the  one 
sacrifice  of  Christ,  perfect  pardon  and  forgiveness  of 
sin  is  prepared  for  the  whole  church,  and  tendered  to 
every  believer.  To  what  purpose  then  should  there 
be  any  more  offerings  for  sin?  Yea,  they  who  look  for, 
and  trust  to  any  other,  despise  the  wisdom  and  grace 
of  God,  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  the  witness  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  for  which  there  is  no  remission,  ver. 
28,29. 

§4.  And  here  we  are  come  to  a  full  end  of  what  we 
may  call  the  dogmatical  part  of  this  epistle,  a  portion 
of  scripture  filled  with  heavenly  and  glorious  myste- 
ries, and  may  well  be  termed,  in  a  sense,  "the  light  of 
the  Gentile  church,  the  glory  of  the  people  Israel,"  the 
foundation  and  bulwark  of  evangelical  faith. 

I  do  therefore  here,  with  all  humility,  with  a  sense  of 
my  own  w^eakness  and  utter  disability  for  so  great  a. 


Ver.  19—23.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  40 

work,  thankfully  own  the  guidance  and  assistance, 
which  hath  been  given  me  in  the  interpretation  of  it, 
as  a  mere  effect  of  sovereign  and  undeserved  grace; 
from  that  alone  it  is,  that  having,  many  and  many  a 
time,  been  at  an  utter  loss  as  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  finding  no  relief  in  the  worthy  labors  of 
others,  he  hath  graciously  answered  my  poor  weak 
supplications  in  supplies  of  the  light  and  e\  idence  of 
truth. 


VERSES  19—23. 
Having  therefore^  brethren^  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus ^  by  a  new  mid  living  way,,  which  he  hath  con- 
tecraled  for  us,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh;  and 
havifig  an  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  us  draw  near 
ivith  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  mir  bodies  washed  with 
pur'  water.  Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  with- 
out wavering,  for  he  is  faithful  that  promised. 


§1.  The  apostle's  professed  design.  The  subject  stated.  (2 — 6.  (I.)  The 
ground  and  reason  of  the  exhoitatioii  7 — 10.  (II.)  The  manner  of  our  using 
this  privilege.  :Jll,  Iti,  (Hi)  The  special  duty  exhorted  to,  §13--16.  (IV.) 
Observations. 

|1.  In  these  words  the  apostle  enters  on  the  last  part 
of  the  epistle,  which  is  altogether  hortatory;  for  though 
there  be  some  occasional  intermixtures  of  doctrines, 
consonant  to  those  before  insisted  on,  yet  the  professed 
design  is  to  propose  to,  and  press  on  the  Hebrews  such 
duties  as  the  truth  he  had  insisted  on  direct  to,  and 
make  necessary  to  all  believers;  and  in  all  his  exhorta- 
tions there  is  a  mixture  of  the  ground  of  those  duties, 
their  necessity,  and  privilege.  In  these  words  there 
are  three  things: 

I.  The  ground  and  reason  of  the  duty  exhorted  to, 
with  the  foundation  of  it,  as  the  special  privilege  of  the 
gospel,  ver.  19 — 21. 


50  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chai-.  l©. 

II.  The  way  and  manner  of  our  using  this  privilege 
to  that  end,  ver.  22. 

III.  The  special  duty  exhorted  to,  which  is,  perse 
verance,  and  constancy  in  believing,  ver.  23. 

§2.  (I.)  Having  therefore,  {a^eKCpoi)  brethren,  he 
hath  in  this  appellation  a  peculiar  respect  to  those 
among  the  Hebrews,  who  had  received  the  gospel  in 
sincerity;  had  he  called  them  heretics  and  schismaticSy 
and  I  know  not  what  other  names  of  reproach,  he 
had,  in  all  probability,  "turned  that  which  was  lame 
quite  out  of  the  way;"  but  he  had  another  spirit,  was 
under  another  conduct  of  wisdom  and  grace,  than 
most  men  are  now  acquainted  with.  (Ouv)  therefore, 
seeing  that  things  are  now  made  manifest  to  you,  see- 
ing it  is  so  evidently  testified  unto  in  holy  writ,  that 
the  old  covenant  sacrifices  and  worship  could  not 
make  us  perfect,  nor  give  us  access  to  God;  and  seeing 
all  things  are  accomplished  by  the  office  and  sacrifice 
of  Christ;  and  seeing  privileges  are  thereon  granted  to 
believers  which  they  were  not  before  made  partakers 
of; — let  us  make  use  of  them  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
our  own  salvation,  in  the  duties  which  they  necessari- 
ly require,  and  which  duties  are  utterly  inconsistent 
with  Mosaical  worship.  We  may  now  freely  enter 
into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus;  but  an  entrance, 
in  any  sense,  into  the  most  holy  place,  is  inconsistent 
with,  and  destructive  of  all  Mosaical  institutions. 
"Having  therefore  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest;" 
the  privilege  intended  is  directly  opposed  to  the  state 
of  things  under  the  law;  they  therefore  are  utterly 
mistaken  who  suppose  this  entrance  to  be  an  entrance 
into  heaven  after  this  life  for  all  believers;  or  the 
apostle  doth  not  here  oppose  the  glorious  slate  of 
heaven  to  the  church  of  the  Hebrews,  and  their  legal 
services;  but  the  privileges  of  the  gospel  state  and  wor- 


Ver.   19—23.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  51 

ship  only;  neither  were  believers  then  also  excluded 
from  heaven  after  death,  any  more  than  now;  there- 
fore the  privilege  mentioned  consists  in  our  drawing 
nigh  to  God  in  holy  services  and  worship  through 
Christ,  ver.  22,  23. 

{Uappyiiriciv)  boldness.  There  were  two  things  with 
respect  to  those  worshippers  in  this  matter; — a  legal 
prohibition  from  entering  into  the  holy  place;  and — a 
dread  and  fear,  which  deprived  them  of  all  boldness, 
or  holy  confidence,  in  their  approaches  to  God;  there- 
fore the  apostle  expresseth  the  contrary  frame  of  be- 
lievers under  the  New  Testament  by  a  word  that  sig- 
nifieth  both  Zifte?"^!/,  or  freedom  from  any  prohibition, 
and  boldness  with  confidence  in  the  exercise  of  that 
liberty;  we  have  a  right  to  it,  we  have  liberty  without 
restraint,  and  we  have  confidence  without  dread. 

"To  enter  into  the  holiest  f^  that  is,  the  true  sanctu- 
ary, the  holy  place  not  made  with  hands,  see  chap,  ix, 
11,  12,  the  immediate  gracious  presence  of  God  him- 
self in  Christ  Jesus.  Whatever  was  typically  repre 
sented  i!i  the  most  holy  place  of  old,  we  have  access 
to,  even  to  God  himself,  in  one  Spirit  by  Christ. 

§3.  (Ev  Tw  aificcli  Iscb)  by  the  blood  of  Jesus^  the 
procuring  cause  of  this  privilege,  and  which  is  the 
same  with  his  sacrifice,  or  the  once  offering  of  his  body. 
By  its  oblation,  all  causes  of  distance  between  God  and 
believers  were  removed;  it  made  atonement  for  them, 
answered  the  law,  removed  the  curse,  broke  down  the 
partition  wall,  or  the  law  of  commandments  contained 
in  ordinances,  wherein  were  all  the  prohibitions  of  ap- 
proaching to  God  with  boldness.  Again,  there  are 
not  only  hindrances  on  the  part  of  God  lying  in  the 
way  of  our  access  to  him,  but  also  the  consciences  of 
men,  from  a  sense  of  guilt,  were  filled  with  fear  and 
dread,  and  durst  not  so  much  as  desire  an  immediate- 

VOL.    IV.  7 


58  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  lO. 

access  to  God.  The  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  Christ 
being,  through  believing,  communicated  to  them,  takes 
away  all  this  discouraging  fear,  being  accompanied 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  Spirit  of  liberty. 

§4.  Having  told  us  that  we  have,  {rvy  etaohv)  an 
entrance  into  the  holiest,  he  now  declares  by  what 
way  we  may  enter;  the  way  into  the  holiest  under 
the  tabernacle  was  "a  passage  with  blood  through  the 
sanctuary,  and  then  a  turning  aside  of  the  veil,"  as  we 
have  declared  before,  but  the  whole  church  was  for- 
bidden the  use  of  this  way,  and  it  was  appointed  for 
no  other  end  but  to  signify,  that  in  due  time  there 
should  be  a  way  opened  to  believers  to  the  presence  of 
God,  which  was  not  yet  prepared. 

The  preparation  of  this  way  is  by  (syy.uviffij^og)  a  ded- 
ication; the  word  (eyyiuiviiu)  hath  a  double  significa- 
tion, one  natural,  the  other  sacred;  which  yet  are  of 
no  affinity  to  one  another.  In  things  natural  it  is  to 
Tuake  new,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  use;  in  things  sacred, 
it  is  to  dedicate  or  consecrate  any  thing,  at  its  first  erec- 
tion or  making,  to  sacred  services;  the  latter  sense, 
as  in  our  translation,  is  here  to  be  embraced,  yet  so  as 
it  includes  the  former  also;  for  it  is  spoken  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  dedication  of  the  tabernacle,  and  way  into 
the  most  holy  place,  by  the  blood  of  sacrifices,  where- 
of we  have  treated  in  the  ninth  chapter;  so  was  this 
way  into  the  holy  place  dedicated,  and  set  apart  sa- 
credly for  the  use  of  believers,  so  that  there  can  never 
be  any  other  way  but — by  the  blood  of  Jesus;  and  the 
way  itself  was  moreover — new  prepared  and  made, 
not  being  extant  before.  The  properties  of  this  way 
are  two: 

1.  It  is  (Tpo(7Cp«ioc)  ^ic'ty,  because  it  was  but  newly 
made  and  prepared;  belongs  to  the  new  covenant,  and 
admits  of  no  decays,  but  is  always  netv,  as  to  its  effica- 


Ver.  19—23.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  53 

by  and  use,  as  in  the  day  of  its  first  preparation; 
whereas  that  of  the  tabernacle  waxed  old,  and  so  was 
prepared  for  a  removal;  but  this  way  shall  never  be 
changed,  shall  never  decay,  being  always  new. 

2.  It  is  (aojaciv)  living,  not  only  in  opposition  to  the 
way  into  the  holiest  in  the  tabernacle,  (which  was  a 
sure  cause  of  death  to  any  one  that  should  make  use 
of  it,  the  high  priest  only  excepted,  and  he  but  once 
a  year;)  but  also  as  to  its  efficacy;  it  is  not  a  dead 
thing,  but  hath  a  spiritual  vital  efficacy  in  our  access 
to  God,  and  effectually  leads  to  life  everlasting. 

This  "new  and  living  way  of  our  approach  to  God" 
is  nothing  but  the  exercise  of  faith  for  acceptance  with 
God  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  according  to  the  reve- 
lation made  of  it  in  the  gospel. 

§5.  ''Through  the  veil;"  referring  to  that  between 
the  sanctuary  and  the  most  holy  place,  which  we  have 
before  described,  chap.  ix.  What  this  veil  was  to  the 
high  priest  in  his  entrance  into  that  holy  place,  that  is 
i\-\t  flesh  of  Christ  to  us  in  our  approach  to  God.  He, 
indeed,  entered  into  it  by  turning  the  veil  aside,  on 
whom  it  immediately  closed  again;  but  there  could 
be  no  passage  laid  open,  no  general  abiding  entrance 
into  that  holy  place,  unless  the  veil  was  rent  and  torn 
in  pieces,  so  that  it  could  close  no  more.  Hence, 
on  our  Lord's  death,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  "rent 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom;"  signifying  that,  by  virtue 
of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  whereby  his  flesh  was  torn 
and  rent,  we  have  ?ifull  entrance  into  the  holy  place, 
such  as  would  have  been  of  old  upon  the  rending  of 
the  veil.  This,  therefore,  is  the  genuine  interpretation 
of  this  place;  "we  enter  with  boldness  to  the  most  ho- 
ly place  through  the  veil,"  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh,  "by 
virtue  of  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  wherein  his  flesh  was 
rent,  and  all  hindrances  taken  away."     Of  all  which 


54  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  19. 

hindrances  the  veil  was  an  emblem,  until  it  was  rent 
and  removed. 

§6.  "And  having  a  great  high  priest  over  the  house 
of  God."  Having  is  understood  from  ver.  19.  It 
may  be  said,  notwithstanding  the  provision  of  a  new 
way  into  the  holiest,  and  boldness  to  enter,  yet  in  our- 
selves we  know  not  how  to  do  it,  unless  we  are  un- 
der the  conduct  of  a  priest,  as  the  church  of  old  was, 
in  its  worship.  The  apostle  removes  the  discouraging 
thought;  "we  have  a  great  High  Priest,"  so  great,  as 
that  he  can  save  us  to  the  uttermost;  so  glorious,  that 
we  ought  to  apply  ourselves  to  him  with  reverence  and 
godly  fear.  ^^Over  the  house  of  God;"  intimating 
what  he  is  and  doth  after  his  sacrifice,  now  he  is  ex- 
alted in  heaven;  for  this  was  the  second  part  of  the 
high  priest's  office.  He  is  ove)'  the  house  of  God  to 
order  all  things  to  his  glory,  and  the  salvation  of  the 
church.  "  The  house  of  God,^^  that  is,  the  whole  house, 
the  family  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  particularly  the 
church  here  below,  to  whom  this  encouragement  is 
given,  that  they  have  a  High  Priest  as  a  motive  of 
drawing  nigh.  And  it  is  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary 
he  administereth  the  house  of  God  above,  into  which 
we  enter  by  our  prayers  and  sacred  worship; — "so  is 
lie  for  ever  over  his  own  house." 

§7.  (H.)  The  way  and  manner  of  using  the  above 
privilege.  "Le^  us  draw  near  {%po(Tspxoy^£^^)  with  a 
true  heart;"  the  word  whereby  the  whole  performance 
of  all  solemn  divine  worship  was  constantly  express- 
ed; for  God  having  fixed  the  signs  of  his  presence  to 
a  certain  place,  the  tabernacle  and  altar,  none  could 
worship  him  but  by  an  approach  to  that  place;  every 
thing  in  their  worship  was  an  approximation  to  God. 
And  seeing  their  tabernacle,  temple,  altar,  &c.  were 
types  of  Christ,  and  the  gracious  presence  of  God  in 


Ver.  19—23.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,  ^5 

him,  this  '^drawing  nem^"  containeth  all  the  holy  wor- 
ship of  the  church,  both  public  and  private,  or,  all  the 
ways  of  our  access  to  God  by  Christ." 

(Mera  ahv\^ivv\g  nu^^iug)  with  a  true  heart.  God  in 
an  especial  manner,  requireth  "truth  in  the  in^^^ard 
parts,"  in  all  that  come  to  him,  Psal.  li,  6;  John  iv, 
24.  Now  "irw//i"  respects  either  the  mind,  and  is  op- 
posed to  falsehood,  or  respects  the  /zear'^  and  affections, 
and  is  opposed  to  hypocrisy.  In  the  first  way  all 
false  worship  is  rejected;  but  the  ''truth  of  the  heart^^ 
here  intended,  is  the  sincerity  of  the  heart,  which  is 
opposed  to  all  hypocrisy. 

§8.  (Ev  'xXvipo(J)opiu  TViQ  -TTJCfw;)  in  full  assurance  of 
faith.  "Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  ^^Zease  God;" 
wherefore  faith  is  required  in  this  access  on  a  twofold 
account — as  a  qualification  of  the  person;  he  must  be 
a  true  believer,  all  others  being  utterly  excluded  from 
it; — as  to  actual  exercise  in  every  particular  duty  of 
access.  There  is  no  duty  acceptable  to  God  which  is 
not  enlivened  by  faith.  ^^  All  full  assurance  of  faith." 
The  word  is  used  only  in  this  place,  but  the  verb  {'kXv- 
poQopsu,  Rom.  iv,  21;  xiv,  5,)  signifies  a  ^'Jull  satisfac- 
tion of  mind  in  what  we  are  persuaded  of."  Here  two 
things  seem  to  be  included  in  the  word: 

1.  What  in  other  places  the  apostle  expresseth  by 
{zuppv,(Tiu)  boldness,  which  is  the  word  constantly  used 
to  denote  that  frame  of  mind  which  ought  to  be  in 
gospel  worshippers,  in  opposition  to  that  of  the  law; 
and  implies  an  open  Tiew  of  spiritual  glories,  which 
they  had  not  joined  with  liberty  and  confidence;  lib- 
erty of  speech  and  confidence  of  being  accepted;  the 
plerophory  of  faith  is  the  ^'spiritual  boldness'^  of  it. 

2.  A  firm  and  immoveable  persuasion  concerning 
the  priesthood  of  Christ,  whereby  we  have  this  access 
to  God,  with  the  gioiy  and  efficacy  of  it,  '-faith  with- 


55  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  19. 

out  wavering;"  for  many  of  the  Hebrews  who  had  re- 
ceived in  general  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  yet  "j^avered 
up  and  down  in  their  minds  about  this  office  of  Chiist, 
and  the  glorious  things  related  of  it,  supposing  that 
there  might  be  some  place  yet  left  for  the  administra- 
tion of  the  legal  high  priest.  This  is  the  frame  which 
the  apostle  confutes,  and  therefore  "the  full  assurance 
of  faith"  here  respects  not  the  assurance  that  any  have 
of  their  own  salvation,  nor  any  degree  of  such  an  as- 
surance, but  intends  only  the  full  satisfaction  of  our 
souls  and  consciences  in  the  reality  and  efficacy  of  the 
priesthood  of  Christ  to  give  us  acceptance  with  God,  in 
opposition  to  all  other  ways  and  means.  But  this  per- 
suasion withal  is  accompanied  with  an  assured  trust 
of  our  own  acceptance  with  God,  through  Christ  our 
high  priest,  and  an  acquiescence  of  our  souls  in  the 
blessed  object  of  our  trust. 

§9.  There  is  a  two-fold  preparation  prescribed  to  us 
for  the  right  discharge  of  this  duty; — that  our  "hearts 
be  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,"  and  "that  our 
bodies  be  washed  with  pure  water;"  it  is  plain  that 
these  expressions  allude  to  the  necessary  preparations 
of  divine  service  under  the  law.  For  whereas  there 
were  various  ways,  whereby  men  were  legally  defiled, 
so  there  were  ways  appointed  for  their  legal  purifica- 
tion, chap.  ix. 

The  subject  spoken  of  is  also  twofold — the  heart 
and  the  body,  that  is,  the  inward  and  outward  man. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  in  this  place,  as  in  many  others, 
the  heart  is  taken  for  all  the  faculties  of  our  souls  with 
our  affections;  for  it  is  that  wherein  conscience  is  seat- 
ed, and  in  which  it  powerfully  acts,  which  it  doth  es- 
pecially in  the  practical  understanding,  as  the  rule  and 
guide  of  the  affections. 

This  conscience,  antecedently,  is  evil.     Conscience, 


Ver.  19—23.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  57 

merely  as  such,  is  not  to  be  separated  from  the  heart, 
but  as  it  is  evil  it  should.  It  may  be  said  to  be  "evil" 
on  two  accounts; — as  it  disqideteth,  perplexeth,  judgeth, 
and  condemneth  for  sin,  and — on  account  of  a  vitiated 
principle  in  the  conscience  not  performing  its  duty,  but 
continues  secure  when  filled  with  all  vicious  habits:  I 
take  it  here  in  the  latter  sense,  because  the  way  of  re- 
moval is  by  sprinkling,  and  not  by  offering. 

(EppavT/(7|xfvo;  Tccg  mji^iug)  sprinkling  our  hearts.  The 
expression  is  taken  from  the  sprinkling  of  blood  upon 
offering  the  sacrifices,  Exod.  xxix,  16,  21;  Lev.  iv,  17; 
xiv,  7.  The  spiritual  interpretation  is  given  us,  Ezek. 
xxxvi,  25.  And  whereas  this  sprinkling  and  cleansing 
from  sin  is  in  Ezekiel  ascribed  to  jjiw'c  water,  ( for  in  the 
type  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  was  sprinkled)  it  gives  us 
the  sense  of  the  whole:  for  as  the  blood  of  tlie  sacrifice 
was  a  type  of  the  blood  of  Christ  as  offered  to  God,  so 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  his  efficacious  work,  is  denoted  by 
'•pure  water,"  as  is  frequently  observed.  Wherefore 
this  ''sprinkling  of  our  hearts"  is  an  act  of  the  sanctify- 
ing power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  virtue  of  the  blood 
and  sacrifice  of  Christ  in  making  application  of  them  to 
our  souls.  And  thus  "the  blood  of  Christ  the  Son  of 
God  cleanseth  us  from  all  our  sins." 

§10.  "Our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water."  This 
at  first  view  may  seem  to  refer  to  the  outward  admin- 
istration of  baptism;  but  the  '■'■body'"  is  said  to  be  trash- 
ed from  them,  because  they  are  outtcard,  in  opposition 
to  those  that  are  only  inherent  in  the  mind.  And  be- 
cause the  body  is  the  instrument  of  the  perpetration  of 
them,  hence  are  they  called  the  "deeds  of  the  body;" 
and  the  body  is  defiled  by  some  of  them  in  an  especial 
manner,  1  Cor.  vi.  I'herefore,  the  "pure  water" 
wherewith  the  body  is  to  be  washed,  and  which  is  di- 
vinely promised,  Ezek.  xxxvi,  25,  26,  is  the  assistance 


58  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  19. 

of  the  sanctifying  Spirit,  by  virtue  of  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ.  Hereby  all  those  sins  which  cleave  to  our 
oiihvard  conversation  are  removed  and  washed  away; 
for  we  are  sanctified,  (called  by  the  gospel  to  be  so) 
in  our  whole  spirits,  souls,  and  bodies. 

§11.  (III.)  The  special  duty  exhorted  to.  "Let  us 
hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without  wavering, 
for  he  is  faithful  who  hath  promised."  Some  copies 
read  {rv^v  o^oKoymv  rvig  e\Tidog)  "the  profession  of  our 
hope^^  which  virtually  comes  to  the  same  with  our 
version;  for  on  our  faith  is  our  hope  built,  and  is  an 
eminent  fruit  of  it:  wherefore,  holding  fast  our  hope 
includes  in  it  the  holding  fast  of  our  faith,  as  the  cause 
in  the  effect.  But  I  prefer  the  other  reading,  as  more 
suited  to  the  design  of  the  apostle,  and  his  following 
discourse. 

^^Faith'''  is  here  taken  in  both  the  principal  accepta- 
tions of  it,  namely,  that  faith  whereby  we  believe,  and 
that  doctrine  which  is  believed;  of  both  which  we 
make  the  same  profession:  of  one  as  the  inward  jivin- 
ciple,  of  the  other  as  the  outward  rule.  Of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  itself,  {oixoXoyix)  joint  profession,  I  have 
treated  largely  elsewhere.    Chap,  iii,  1. 

The  continuation  of  their  profession  first  solemnly 
made,  avowing  the  faith  on  all  just  occasions,  attend- 
ing on  all  duties  of  worship  required  in  the  gospel,  pro- 
fessing their  faith  in  the  promises  of  God  by  Christ, 
and  cheerfully  undergoing  afflictions,  troubles,  and  per- 
secutions on  that  account,  is  eminently  included  in  this 
"profession  of  our  faith"  here  exhorted  to. 

But  what  is  it  to  hold  fast  this  profession?  see  chap, 
iv,  14.  There  is  included — a  supposition  oi  great  diffi- 
culty with  danger,  and  opposition  against  this  holding; 
therefore  the  putting  forth  of  the  utmost  of  our  strength 
and  endeavors  in  the  defence  of  it,  and  a  constant  per- 
severance m  it. 


Ver.  19—33.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  59 

This  is  to  be  done  ^^without  wavering;^''  that  is,  the 
profession  must  be  immoveable  and  constant.  The 
frame  of  mind  which  this  is  opposed  to,  is  expressed 
James  i,  6,  (J/axp/vojEAfvof )  one  that  is  always  disputing, 
and  tossed  up  and  down  with  various  thoughts  in  his 
mind,  not  coming  to  a  fixed  determination:  he  is  like 
a  wave  of  the  sea,  which  one  while  subsides  and  is  quiet, 
and  another  while  is  tossed  this  way  or  that,  as  it  re- 
ceives impressions  from  the  wind.  As  men's  minds 
waver  in  these  things,  so  their  prof ession  wavers,  which 
the  apostle  here  opposeth  to  that  full  assurance  of 
faith  required  in  us.  (AhAivvj;)  without  wavering;  the 
word  denotes,  not  to  be  bent  one  way  or  other;  firm, 
fixed,  stable,  in  opposition  to  them;  wherefore,  it  in- 
cludes— positively,  a  firm  persuasion  of  mind  as  to  the 
truth  of  the  faith  professed; — a  constant  resolution  to 
abide  therein,  and  adhere  to  it  against  all  opposition, 
and — constancy  and  diligence  in  the  performance  of 
all  the  duties  which  are  required  to  the  continuation 
of  this  profession. 

§12.  ''For  he  is  faithful  that  hath  promised."  In 
opening  these  words,  let  us  attend  to  the  nature  of  the 
encouragement  given  us  in  them. 

1.  It  is  God  alone  who  promiseth.  He  alone  is  the 
author  of  all  gospel  promises;  and  by  him  are  they 
given  to  us,  2  Pet.  1,4;  Tit.  i,  1.  Hence,  evangelically, 
that  is  a  just  periphrasis  of  God,  "he  who  hath  prom- 
ised." 

2.  The  promises  of  God  are  of  that  nature  in  them- 
selves, as  are  suited  to  the  encouragement  of  all  be- 
lievers to  constancy,  and  final  i>erseverance,  in  the  pro- 
fession of  their  faith;  whether  we  respect  them,  as  they 
contain  and  exhibit  present  grace,  mercy,  and  consola- 
tion, or  as  they  propose  to  us  eternal  things  in  the 

future  glorious  reward. 


60  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

The  efficacy  of  the  promises  to  this  end  depends 
upon  the  faithfuhiess  of  God  who  gives  them;  witli 
him  is  neither  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turning. 
The  strength  of  Israel  will  not  lie,  nor  repent.  God's 
faithfulness  is  the  unchangeableness  of  his  purpose,  and 
the  counsels  of  his  will,  proceeding  from  the  immuta- 
bility of  his  nature,  accompanied  with  almighty  power 
for  their  accomplishment,  as  declared  in  the  word;  see 
chap,  vi,  18.  Consider,  saith  he,  the  promises  of  the 
gospel,  their  incomparable  greatness  and  glory;  in  their 
enjoyment  consists  our  eternal  blessedness,  and  they 
will  all  be  accomplished  towaids  those  who  hold  fast 
their  profession,  seeing  he  who  hath  promised  them  is 
absolutely  faithful  and  unchangeable. 

§13.  (IV.)  From  the  w^hole  observe, 

1.  It  is  not  every  mistake,  every  error  though  it  be 
in  things  of  great  importance,  while  it  overthrows  not 
the  foundation,  that  can  divest  men  of  a  fraternal  in- 
terest with  others  in  the  heavenly  calling. 

2.  Tills  is  the  great  fundameiital  principle  of  the 
gospel,  that  believers,  in  all  their  holy  worship,  have 
liberty,  boldness,  and  confidence,  to  enter  into  this  gra- 
cious presence  of  God;  they  are  not  hindered  by  any 
prohibition.  There  is  no  such  order  now,  that  he 
w4io  draws  nigh  shall  be  cut  off;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
that  he  who  doth  not  shall  be  destroyed. 

3.  Hence  there  is  no  room  for  terror  in  their  con- 
sciences, when  they  make  those  approaches  to  God, 
They  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage,  but  the 
Spirit  of  the  Son,  whereby  with  holy  boldness  they 
cry,  ^'Abba,  Father,"  for  '^where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
is,  there  is  liberty." 

4.  The  nature  of  gospel  worship  consists  in  an  en- 
trance with  reverential  boldness  into  the  presence  of 
God. 


Ver.  19—23.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  61 

5.  Our  approach  to  God  in  gospel  worship  is  to 
him  as  evidencing  himself  in  a  way  of  grace  and  mer- 
cy. Hence  it  is  said  to  be  an  entrance  into  the  holiest, 
for  in  the  holy  place  were  all  the  pledges  and  tokens 
of  God's  favor. 

6.  Nothing  but  the  blood  of  Jesus  could  have  given 
this  boldness,  nothing  that  stood  in  its  way  could 
otherwise  have  been  removed,  nothing  else  could 
have  set  our  souls  at  liberty  from  that  bondage,  which 
was  come  upon  them  by  sin.  What  shall  we  render 
to  him!  How  unspeakable  are  our  obligations!  How 
should  we  abound  in  faith  and  love! 

7.  Confidence  in  access  to  God  not  built  on,  not  re- 
solved into  the  blood  of  Christ,  is  but  a  daring  presump- 
tion which  God  abhors. 

§14.  1.  The  way  of  our  entrance  into  the  holiest  is 
solemnly  dedicated  and  consecrated  for  us,  so  that  we 
may  make  use  of  it  with  becoming  boldness. 

2.  All  the  privileges  we  have  by  Christ  are  great, 
glorious,  and  efficacious,  all  tending  and  leading  unto 
life. 

3.  The  Lord  Christ  peculiarly  presides  over  all  the 
persons,  duties,  and  worship  of  believers  in  the  church 
of  God.  See  Exposition,  chap,  iv,  14 — 16 

4.  The  heart  is  that  which  God  principally  respects 
in  our  access  to  him;  and  universal  internal  sincerity 
of  heart  is  required  of  all  those,  who  draw  nigh  to  him 
in  his  holy  worship. 

5.  The  actual  exercise  of  faith  is  required  in  all  our 
approaches  to  God,  in  every  particular  duty  of  his 
worship. 

6.  And  it  is  faith  in  Christ  alone  that  gives  this 
boldness  of  access;  and  the  person  and  office  of  Christ 
are  to  be  rested  in  with  full  assurance  in  all  our  ac- 
cesses to  the  throne  of  grace. 


6g  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.    10. 

§15.  1.  Although  the  worship  whereby  we  draw 
nigh  to  God  be  performed  with  respect  to  institution 
and  rule,  yet  without  internal  sanctification  of  heart 
we  are  not  accepted  in  it. 

2.  Due  preparations,  by  a  fresh  application  of  our 
souls  to  the  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  for  the  pu- 
rification of  our  hearts,  that  we  may  be  meet  to  draw 
nigh  to  God,  is  at  once  our  incumbent  duty  and  high 
privilege. 

3.  In  all  wherein  we  have  to  do  with  God,  we  are 
principally  to  regard  those  infernal  sins  we  are  con- 
scious of  to  ourselves,  but  are  hidden  from  all  others. 

4.  Yet  the  universal  sanctification  of  our  whole 
persons  and  especially  the  mortification  of  outward 
sins,  are  also  required  in  our  drawing  nigh  to  God. 
These,  and  not  the  gaiety  of  outward  apparel,  are  the 
best  preparatory  ornaments  for  our  religious  worship. 

5.  It  is  a  great  mark  to  draw  nigh  to  God,  so  as  to 
worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

§16.  1.  There  is  an  internal  principle  of  saving  faith 
required  to  our  profitable  profession  of  the  gospel  doc- 
trine, without  which  it  will  not  avail. 

2.  All  that  believe  ought  solemnly  to  give  them- 
selves up  to  Christ  and  his  rule,  in  an  express  profes- 
sion of  their  faith. 

3.  Great  difficulties  will  sometimes  arise  in  opposi- 
tion to  a  sincere  profession  of  the  faith. 

4.  Firmness  and  constancy  of  mind,  with  our  utmost 
diligent  endeavors,  are  required  to  an  acceptable  con- 
tinuance in  our  profession. 

5.  Uncertainty  and  wavering  of  mind,  as  to  the 
truth  we  profess,  or  a  neglect  of  the  duties  wherein  it 
consists,  or  compliance  with  errors  for  fear  of  persecu- 
tions and  sufferings,  overthrow  our  profession,  and  ren- 
der it  useless. 


Ver.  24.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  63 

6.  As  we  ought  not  on  any  account  to  decline  our 
profession,  so  to  abate  of  the  degrees  of  fervency  of 
spirit  therein,  is  dangerous  to  our  souls. 

7.  The  faithfulness  of  God  in  his  promises  is  our 
great  encouragement  and  support  against  all  opposi- 
tions. 


VERSE  24. 

^/4nd  let  us  consider  one  another  to  firovoke  unto  love,  a7id  to 

good  ivorks. 

§i.  Love  and  good  works  the  evidences  of  faith.       §2   Wliat  implied  in  provok- 
ing one  another  to  love  and  good  works.     $3.  Observations. 


§1.  Love  and  good  works  are  the  fruits  and  evi- 
dences of  the  sincere  profession  of  saving  faith;  where- 
fore, a  diligent  attendance  to  them  is  an  effectual  means 
of  constancy  in  our  profession. 

(Kal«vow/xev  uKKviKh;)  '^Let  US  consider  one  another." 
The  word  hath  been  opened  on  chap,  iii,  1 ;  and  de- 
notes in  brief,  an  heedful  consideration  of  mind,  a 
mind  intent  upon  a  thing  in  opposition  to  common, 
careless,  transient  thoughts  about  it.  The  object  here 
is  "one  another;"  and  herein  the  apostle  supposeth — 
that  those  to  whom  he  wrote  had  a  deep  concernment 
in  one  another,  their  present  and  future  state,  w  ithout 
which,  the  mere  consideration  of  one  another  would 
only  be  a  fruitless  effect  of  curiosity, — that  they  had 
also  communion  together  about  those  things,  without 
which  this  duty  could  not  be  rightly  discharged; — and, 
finally,  that  they  judged  themselves  obliged  to  watch 
over  one  another  as  to  steadfastness  in  profession,  and 
fruitfulness  of  love  and  good  works. 

On  these  suppositions,  this  ^'■consideration^''  respects 

the  gifts,  the  graces,  the  temptations,  the  dangers,  the 

seasons  and  opportunities  for  duty,  the   manner  of 


64  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

walking  in  church  fellowship,  and  in  the  world;  and 
is,  in  reality^  the  foundation  of  all  these  mutual  duties, 

§2.  The  branch  of  duty  here  specified  is  {sig  %apo- 
^u(7|xov  w/wxyig  nxi  nuhuv  fpywv)  to  the  provocation  of  love 
and  good  works;  that  is,  as  we  have  rendered  the 
words  "to  provoke  (one  another)  to  love  and  good 
works."  Provocation,  though  commonly  used  in  an 
ill  sense,  is  sometimes  taken,  as  here,  for  an  earnest  and 
diligent  excitation  of  the  minds  or  spirits  of  men  to 
that  which  is  good;  see  Rom.  ix,  14;  as  by  exhorta- 
tion, example,  or  rebukes,  until  they  be  as  it  were 
warmed  for  the  duty.  ''Love  and  good  works;"  "Zot?e" 
is  the  spring  and  fountain  of  all  acceptable  good  works; 
of  mutual  love  among  believers,  which  is  that  here  in- 
tended, as  to  its  nature  and  causes,  and  motives  to  it, 
I  have  treated  at  large  chap.  vi.  The  ^^good  works" 
intended  are  [v.uXci)  those  which  are  most  commenda- 
ble and  praise  worthy,  such  as  are  most  useful  to  others, 
and  whereby  the  gospel  is  most  exalted;  works  pro- 
ceeding from  the  shining  light  of  truth,  by  which  God 
is  glorified. 

§3.  Hence  observe, 

1.  The  mutual  watch  of  Christians  in  the  particu- 
lar societies  whereof  they  are  members,  is  a  duty  nec- 
essary for  preserving  a  consistent  profession  of  the 
faith. 

2.  A  due  consideration  of  the  circumstances,  abilities, 
temptations,  and  opportunities  for  duties,  in  one  anoth- 
er, is  also  required  for  the  same  end. 

3.  Diligent  mutual  exhortation  to  gospel  duties  that 
we  may,  on  all  grounds  of  reason  and  example,  be 
provoked  to  them,  is  evangelically  required  of  us  as  a 
most  excellent  duty  to  which  in  an  especial  manne}^ 
we  ought  to  attend. 


Ver.  25.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  65 


VERSE  25. 

J^ot  forsaking  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together,  as  the  manner 
of  some  is,  but  exhorting  one  another,  and  so  much  the  more,  as 
ye  see  the  day  apfiroaching. 

§1.  ([.)  Exposition  of  the  words.  §2.  The  apostle's  charge  not  to  forsake  Chris- 
tian assemblies,  §3.  As  the  manner  of  some  is  §4.  The  contrary  duty.  $5 — 
7,  A  peculiar  motive  to  it.     $8,9.  (II.)  Observations. 

§1  (I.)  X  HE  words  contain  an  enforcement  of  the 
preceding  exhortation,  in  a  caution  against  what  is  con- 
trary to  it.  {Eviffwccyuyy^v  ecivluv)  the  assembling  of 
ourselves  together;  it  is  not  the  church  state  absolute- 
ly, but  the  actual  assemblies  of  believers,  walking  to- 
gether in  that  state,  which  the  apostle  intends;  for  as 
the  church  itself  is  originally  the  seat  of  all  public  di- 
vine worship;  so  the  actual  assemblies  of  it  are  the  only 
way  and  means  for  the  exercise  and  performance  of  it; 
these  asse^nblies  were  of  two  sorts; — stated,  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  1  Cor.  xvi,  2;  Acts  xx,  7: — occa- 
sional, as  the  circumstances  of  the  church  required,  1 
Cor.  V,  4. 

The  end  of  these  assemblies  was  also  twofold; — the 
due  performance  of  solemn,  stated  worship,  in  prayer, 
preaching,  singing,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, and — the  exercise  of  discipline,  or  the  watch  of 
the  church  over  its  members,  that  their  walk  and  con- 
versation be  in  all  things  such  as  became  the  gospel; 
wherefore  a  voluntary  neglect,  or  a,  forsaking  of  these 
assemblies,  if  persisted  in,  destroys  any  church  state. 
Those  assemblies  were  instru mentally  the  life,  the 
food,  the  nourishment  of  their  souls;  without  which 
they  could  neither  attend  to  the  discipline  of  Christ, 
nor  yield  obedience  to  his  commands,  nor  make  pro- 
fession of  his  name  as  they  ought,  nor  enjoy  the  bene- 


66  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

fit  of  evangelical  institutions;  whereas  in  a  due  observ- 
ance of  them  consisted  the  trial  of  their  faith  in  the  sight 
of  God  and  man. 

§2.  The  apostle's  charge  concerning  such  assem- 
blies is,  "that  we  should  not  forsake  them;"  there  is  a 
twofold  forsaking  of  these  assemblies; — that  which  is 
total,  which  is  the  fruit  and  evidence  of  absolute  apos- 
tasy; and — that  which  is  only  partial,  through  want 
of  diligence  and  conscientious  care.  It  is  the  laitei^  that 
the  apostle  here  intends,  as  the  word  in  part  signifies, 
and  which  is  usually  done  on  some  of  these  accounts: 

1 .  Fear  of  suffering;  this  in  all  ages  hath  prevailed 
on  many,  in  times  of  trial  and  persecution,  to  with- 
draw themselves  from  those  assemblies,  and  thereby 
have  proved  themselves  to  be  the  fearful  and  unbeliev- 
ing ones,  who  are  in  the  very  first  place  excluded  from 
the  New  Jerusalem,  Rev.  xxi,  S;  whatever  men  pretend 
they  believe,  if  they  confess  him  not  before  men,  he 
will  deny  them  before  his  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

2.  Spiritual  sloth,  with  the  various  occasions  of 
this  life;  if  men  will  not  stir  up  themselves,  and  shake 
off  the  weight  that  lies  upon  them,  they  will  fall  under 
a  woful  neglect  as  to  this  and  all  other  important  du- 
ties; such  persons  as  are  influenced  by  them  will  make 
use  of  many  specious  pleas  which  they  never  fail  to 
plead  with  men,  and  there  is  no  contending  with  them; 
but  let  them  go  to  Christ  and  plead  them  immediately 
with  him,  and  then  ask  themselves,  how  they  suppose 
they  are  accepted?  This  deficiency  may,  indeed,  fall 
out  sometimes  where  the  heart  is  sincere,  but  then  it 
will  be  troubled  at  it,  and  watch  for  the  future  against 
the  like  occasions. 

3.  Unbelief  wovkmg  gradually  towards  the  forsak- 
ing of  all  profession;  this  is  the  first  way,  for  the  most 
part,  whereby  an  evil  heart  of ^  unbelief,  in  departing 


Ver.  25.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  61 

from  the  living  God,  doth  evidence  itself;  see  chap,  iiij 
12.  I  say,  hereby  usually  it  fust  evidenceth  itself;  for 
it  hath  unquestionably  put  forth  its  power  before  in- 
wardly, in  a  neglect  of  private  duties;  and  if  such  a 
course  from  this  principle  be  persisted  in,  total  apos- 
tasy lies  at  the  door. 

§3.  "As  the  manner  of  some  is;"  the  church  of  the 
Hebrews,  especially  that  at  Jerusalem,  had  been  ex- 
posed to  great  trials  and  persecutions;  ver.  32, 33:  dur- 
ing this  state  some  of  their  members,  even  in  those 
early  days,  began  so  far  to  decline  their  profession,  as 
not  to  frequent  the  assemblies  of  the  church;  they  were 
afraid  to  be  taken  at  a  meeting,  or  that  their  known 
persecuting  neighbors  should  take  notice  of  them  as 
they  frequented  the  Christian  assemblies. 

Again,  there  were  among  the  Hebrews  at  that  time 
great  disputes  about  the  continuance  of  the  temple 
rLLorship,  with  which  many  were  entangled,  and  as 
that  error  prevailed  in  their  minds,  so  did  they  begin 
gradually  to  neglect  and  forsake  the  gospel  worship- 
only  observe,  that  it  is  not  an  occasional  dereliction 
of  them,  but  that  which  they  accustomed  themselves 
to;  it  was  their  {e^og)  manner,  an  ordinary  way  of 
walking  which  they  accustomed  themselves  to. 

§4.  The  apostle,  in  the  next  place,  illustrates  this 
great  evil  by  the  contrary  duty,  (aXXx  Trapa-zaKtivlei)  but 
exhorting,  all  the  duties  of  these  assemblies,  especially 
those  which  arc  useful  to  preserve  from  apostasy,  and 
to  prevent  backsliding,  are  proposed  under  this  one 
head  of  duty. 

The  nature  of  this  mutual  exhortation  among  be- 
lievers in  Christian  societies  hath  been  considered  be- 
fore, see  on  chap,  iii,  13,  and  (toc^hIu  /xaXAov)  so  much 
the  more.  The  duties  before  mentioned  are  such  as 
ought  always  to  be  attended  to,  and  yet  '-the  approach 

VOL.    IV.  9 


68  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  19. 

of  the  day"  is  a  season  wherein  it  is  our  duty  to  double 
our  diligence  about  them;  arid  there  art  warnings  dnd 
works  of  Christ,  by  his  word  and  providence,  the  con- 
sideration of  which  ought  to  excite  us  to  a  peculiar 
attendance  to  them;  in  proof  of  i  his  we  might  appeal 
to  his  dealings  with  the  seven  churches  o^  Asia  as  types 
of  all  others. 

§5.  "As  ye  see  the  day  approaching;"  (tviv  v^/xeptf^v) 
the  day  an  eminent  day;  the  i  iile  whereby  we  may  de- 
termine what  day  is  intended  is  this;  it  was  such  a  day 
as  was  -d  peculiar  motive  to  the  Hebrew  s  in  their  pres- 
ent circumstances,  to  attend  diligently  to  the  due  per- 
formance of  gospel  duties;  it  is  not  such  a  day,  such  a 
motive,  as  is  always  common  to  ail,  but  only  to  those 
who  are  in  some  measure  in  the  like  circumstances 
with  them;  wherefore,  it  is  neither  the  day  of  death 
personally  to  them,  nor  the  day  of  future  judgment 
absolutely  that  is  intended;  for  those  are  common  to 
all  equally,  and  at  ail  times,  and  are  a  powerful  motive 
in  general  to  the  performance  of  gospel  duties;  but  not 
a  peculiar  motive  at  sometimes  to  peculiar  dili- 
gence; wherefore,  this  day  w  as  no  other  but  that  fear- 
ful and  tremendous  day,  or  season,  for  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  the  temple,  city,  and  nation  of  the  Jews, 
which  our  Savior  had  forwarned  his  disciples  of,  and 
which  they  had  in  continual  expectation. 

§6.  But  it  may  be  said,  how  should  the  approach 
of  this  day,  wherein  all  things  were  about  to  be  dis- 
solved, the  church  to  be  scattered,  the  whole  nation  to 
be  consumed  with  sword  and  fire,  be  a  motive  to 
redoubled  diligence  in  attendance  to  the  duties  of 
Christian  assemblies:  it  should  now  seem  rather  to  have 
been  a  time  for  every  one  to  shift  for  himself,  and  his 
family,  than  to  leave  all  to  ruin,  whilst  they  looked 
after  these  assemblies?  We  answer, 


Ver.  25.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  69 

Whatever  desolations  and  destructions  may  be  ap- 
proaching, our  best  and  wisest  frame  will  be  to  trust 
to  God,  in  the  discharge  of  our  duty;  all  other  contri- 
vances will  prove  not  only  vain,  and  foolish,  but  des- 
tructive to  our  souls;  they  who  will  in  any  degree  par- 
take of  men's  sins,  must  in  some  degree  or  other  par- 
take of  their  plagues; — again,  It  is  impossible  that 
men  should  go  through  a  day  of  public  calamity,  a 
destmctive  day,  comfortably  and  cheerfully,  without 
a  diligent  attendance  to  those  known  duties  of  the  gos- 
pel; for  the  guilt  of  this  neglect  will  seize  upon  them 
when  their  trial  shall  come,  and  they  will  wish,  when 
it  is  too  late,  that  they  had  acted  a  different  part.  Let 
men  pretend  what  they  will,  their  decay  in  those  duties 
evidenceth  a  decay  in  all  graces,  which  they  will  fmd 
weak,  and  unfit  to  carry  them  through  their  trials;  be- 
sides, the  duties  prescribed,  rightly  discharged,  are  the 
great  means  for  strengthening  and  supporting  our  souls 
in  that  part  of  the  trial  which  we  are  to  undergo. 

§7.  How  did  this  day  approach?  It  was  approach- 
ing, (in  prociActu)  gradually  coming  upon  them, 
warnings  of  it,  dispositions  towards  it,  intimations  of 
its  coming,  were  given  them  every  day;  and  these 
things  were  so  plain,  as  that  the  apostle  takes  it  for 
granted,  that  they  themselves  did  see  evldenily  the  ap- 
proaching day — in  the  accomplishment  of  the  signs 
of  its  coming,  foretold  by  our  Savior,  compare  ver. 
32 — 34,  with  Matt,  xxiv,  9,  &c.  and  particularly  in 
that  things  were  at  a  great  stand  as  to  the  progTess  of 
the  g'osjje/ among  the  Hebrews.  To  which  we  may 
add,  that  believers  saw  it  approaching  in  the  various 
powerful  causes  of  it;  and  especially  the  body  of  the 
people  having  now  refused  the  gospel,  were  given  up 
to  all  wickedness,  and  hatred  to  Christ.  Moreo\'er,  the 
Ume  ({!id  season,  in  the  analogy  of  divine  dispenscnsa- 


irei  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  16- 

|;ions,  manifested  the  same  awful  truth  to  them;  as 
tj/pes  of  his  dealing  with  the  unbelieving  Jews,  God 
had  warned  the  old  world  by  Noah,  and  Sodom  by 
Lot,  before  the  one  was  destroyed  by  nature,  and  the 
other  by  fire.  Now  he  would  give  ihem  also  their 
day,  and  make  them  a  sufficient  tender  of  mercy, 
which  he  had  now  done  towards  forty  years.  In  this 
space,  through  the  ministry  of  the  a^Dostles,  and  other 
faithful  dispensers  of  the  word,  the  gospel  had  been 
proposed  to  all  the  Jews  throughout  the  world.  Rom. 
X,  16—20.  This  being  now  accomplished,  they  might 
fvidenihj  see  that  the  'day  was  approaching;"  besides, 
at  this  time  all  things  began  to  be  filled  with  confu- 
sions, disorders,  tumults,  seditions,  and  slaughters  in 
the  whole  nation,  as  awful  presages  and  introductions 
of  that  exemplary  day  which  they  were  given  to  expect. 
§8.  II.  From  these  words  and  this  account  we  ob- 
serve, 

1.  Great  diligence  is  required  of  us  in  a  due  atlend- 
ance  to  the  assemblies  of  the  church,  as  instituted  by 
Jesus  Christ, 

2.  The  neglect  of  the  authority  and  love  of  Christ 
in  the  appointment  of  the  means  of  our  edification, 
will  always  tend  to  great  and  ruinous  evils. 

3.  No  church  orjcr,  no  outward  profession,  can  se- 
cure men  from  apostasy;  persons  were  guilty  of  it  in 
the  first,  the  best,  the  purest  churches. 

4.  Perfection,  and  particular  freedom  from  offence, 
and  ruinous  evils,  is  not  to  be  expected  in  any  church 
in  this  world. 

5.  Men  that  begin  to  decline  their  duty  in  church 
relations,  ought  to  be  marked,  and  their  ways  avoided. 

6.  Forsaking  of  church  assemblies  is  usually  an  en- 
trance into  apostasy. 

§9..  I.  Wiien  special  warnings  do  not  excite  us  to 


VuR,  26,  27.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  7X 

renewed  diligence  in  known  duties,  our  condition  is 
dangerous  as  to  the  continuance  of  the  presence  of 
Christ  among  us. 

2.  Approaching  judgments  ought  to  influence  to 
special  diligence  in  all  evangelical  duties. 

3.  If  men  will  shut  their  eyes  against  evident  signs 
and  tokens  of  approaching  judgments,  they  will  never 
stir  up  themselves  to  the  due  performance  of  present 
duties. 

4.  In  the  approach  of  great  and  final  judgments, 
God  by  his  word  and  providence  giveth  such  intima- 
tions of  their  coming,  as  that  wise  men  may  discern 
them;  he  who  is  wise,  will  consider  these  things,  and 
shall  understand  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord.  The 
prudent  foreseeth  the  evil  and  hideth  himself;  how  is 
it  that  you  discern  not  the  signs  of  the  times? 

5.  To  see  evidently  such  a  day  approaching,  and 
not  to  be  sedulous  and  diligent  in  the  duties  of  divine 
worship,  is  a  token,  of  a  backsliding  frame  tending  tq 
final  apostasy. 

VERSES  26,  '27: 
For  if  we  sin  ivilfuHy  after  that  we  have  received  the  knovjledge 
of  the  truth.,  there  remaineih  no  more  sacrifce  for  sjjis.       But 
a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment.,  and  f  cry  indignation., 
which  shall  devour  the  adversaries. 

§1.  The  scope  and  general  import  of  the  words.  §2.  (I.)  IVfore  particnlar  exposi- 
tion- The  aggravation  of  tlie  sin  mentioned  is,  that  it  cannot  be  expiated. 
§3.  1  he  dread  atteuding  it.     §t,  5.  Its  punisiimcnt.  §6 — 8.  (11.)  Observations. 

§1.  In  these  verses  the  apostle  gives  a  vehement  en- 
forcement of  his  preceding  exhortation,  from  the 
dreadful  consequences  of  a  total  neglect  of  it. 

Interpreters  have  greatly  perplexed  themselves  and 
others  in  the  interpretation  and  exposition  of  these 
verses,  and  those  that  follow.  Their  conjectures  in 
great  variety  have  proceeded  principally  from  a  \vant 


72  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

of  due  attention  to  the  scope  of  the  apostle,  the  argu- 
ment he  had  in  hand,  the  circuinstances  of  the  people 
to  whom  he  wrote,  and  the  then  present  state  of  God's 
providence  towards  them.  I  shall  not  trouble  the 
reader  with  their  various  conjectures,  but  evince  the 
mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them;  "If  we  sin  wilfully;" 
he  puts  himself  among  them,  as  his  manner  is  in  com- 
minations.  to  shew — that  there  is  no  respect  of  persons 
in  this  matter,  but  that  those  who  have  equally  sinned 
shall  be  equally  punished.  (Eisaicag)  wilfully,  say  we; 
that  is,  obstinately,  maliciously;  but  the  word  doth  not 
require,  nor  will  scarce  bear,  that  sense;  willingly,  of 
choice,  without  surprisal,  compulsion,  or  fear,  is  all 
that  the  world  will  justly  bear,  "After  we  have  re- 
ceived the  knowledge  of  the  truth;"  there  is  no  ques- 
tion but  that  by  ''the  truth''''  the  apostle  intends  the 
doctrine  of  the  gospel;  and  the  '-receiving'^  of  it  is,  up- 
on conviction  of  its  being  truth,  to  take  on  us  the  out- 
ward profession  of  it. 

Hence  it  is  evident  what  sin  is  here  intended,  against 
which  this  heavy  doom  is  denounced;  a  relinquish- 
ment and  renunciation  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  and 
its  precious  promises,  with  all  duties  thereunto  belong- 
ing after  we  have  been  convinced  of  its  truth,  and 
avowed  its  power  and  excellency;  and  this  willingly; 
not  upon  a  sudden  surprisal  and  temptation,  as  Peter 
denied  Christ — not  on  those  compulsions  and  fears 
which  m?.y  work  a  transient  dissimulation,  without 
an  internal  rejection  of  the  gospel,  not  through  dark- 
ness, ignorance,  making  an  impression  for  a  season  on 
the  minds  and  reasonings  of  men;  which  things,  though 
exceedingly  evil  and  dangerous,  may  befal  them  who 
yet  contract  not  the  guilt  of  this  crime;  but  hy  choice, 
of  their  own  accord,  from  the  mternal  pravity  of  their 
own  minds,  and  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  departino; 


Ver.  26,  27.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  78 

from  the  living  God;  and  it  is  farther  implied,  that 
they  do  it  with  the  preference  of  another  way  of  re- 
ligion, and  a  resting  therein,  before  the  gospel;  where- 
as there  were  ttico  things  which  were  tiie  foundation 
of  the  profession  of  the  gospel;  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant, or  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  with  the 
atonement  made  thereby;  and,  the  dispensation  of  the 
Spirit  of  grace;  these  they  openly  renounced,  and  de- 
clared that  there  was  nothing  of  God  in  them,  see  on 
ver.  29. 

§2.  The  first  thing  which  the  apostle  chargeth  as  an 
aggravation  of  this  sin  is,  that  it  cannot  be  expiated; 
"there  remains  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin."  Words  not 
unlike  those  of  God  concerning  the  house  of  Eli, 
1  Sam.  iii,  14.  "I  have  sworn  to  the  house  of  Eli, 
that  the  iniquity  of  Eli's  house  shall  not  be  purged 
with  sacrifice  nor  offering  for  ever;"  as  according 
to  the  law%  there  were  certain  sins  which,  from  their 
nature,  as  murder,  adultery,  blasphemy,  or  from  the 
manner  of  their  commission  with  obstinacy  and  an 
high  hand,  that  had  no  sacrifice  allowed  for  them,  but 
those  that  were  guilty  of  them  were  to  be  cut  off  from 
the  people  of  God,  and  to  "die  without  mercy."  ver. 
28;  so  is  it  with  them  that  thus  sin  uilllugly.  under  the 
gospel;  there  is  no  relief  appointed  for  them,  no  means 
for  the  expiation  of  their  sin:  and  there  is  an  especial 
reason  ot  this  severity  under  the  gospel,  which  the 
apostle  hatii  a  principal  respect  to,  viz.  that  there  is 
now  no  repetition  of  sacrifices  for  sin.  That  of  Christ 
our  High  Priest  was  offered  once  for  all,  henceforth  he 
dieth  no  more,  he  is  offered  no  more,  nor  can  there 
be  any  other  sacrifice  offered  forever;  [sy.  eIi  uroltixslai) 
there  remains  not,  there  is  not  in  the  counsel,  purpose, 
or  institution  of  God  any  other  (fiua/a)  sacrifice,  where- 
by sin  might  be  expiated,  yet  left  to  be  offered  in  this 
or  any  otlier  case. 


f4  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10, 

§3.  '-But  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment," 
when  a  man  under  the  law  had  contracted  the  guilt 
of  any  sin,  as  was  indispensably  capital  in'its  punish- 
ment, for  the  legal  expiation  of  which  no  sacrifice  was 
appointed  or  allowed;  as  murder,  adultery,  blasphemy, 
&c.  he  had  nothing  remaining  but  a  fearful  expecta- 
tion of  the  execution  of  the  legal  entrance  against  him; 
and  it  is  evident  that  in  this  context  the  apostle  argues 
from  the  less  to  the  greater;  if  it  was  so,  that  this  was 
the  case  of  him  who  so  sinned  against  the  law  of  Mo- 
ses, how  much  more  must  it  be  so  with  them  who  sin 
against  the  gospel;  whose  sin  is  incomparably  greater 
and  the  punishment  more  severe? 

There  are  two  things  in  these  words;— the  punish- 
ment due  to  the  sins  of  apostates,  "judgment,"  fiery 
indignation,  which  devours  the  adversary;  and — the 
certain  approach  of  this  judgment,  "there  remains  a 
fearful  expectation;"  {(po(iepci  ds  ng  fKJo%vi)  a  kind  of 
fearful  expectation;  nor  is  this  spoken  by  way  of 
diminution,  but  to  intimate  something  that  is  inex- 
pressible, such  as  no  heart  can  conceive  or  tongue  ex- 
press; 1.  Pet.  iv,  17,  18.  "What  shall  be  the  end  of 
them  who  obey  not  the  gospel?  Where  shall  the  sin- 
ners and  ungodly  appear?"  (E-z.^oxn)  expectation,  is 
that  frame  of  mind,  with  respect  to  any  thing  future, 
good  or  bad,  wherein  we  are  concerned;  and  is  here 
said  to  be  {(pol^spa)  fcarfid,  tremendous,  that  which 
men  can  neither  conflict  with,  nor  avoid;  it  fills  the 
mind  with  dread  and  horror,  depriving  it  of  all  com- 
fort and  relief;  if  they  did  set  themselves  to  consider 
the  event  of  their  apostasy,  nothing  else  could  befal 
their  minds.  I  am  persuaded  it  is  probable,  that  God 
very  seldom  lets  them  pass  without  tormenting  fear, 
and  a  dread  of  approaching  judgment,  in  this  world, 
which  is  a  broad  entrance  into  hell;  [y.pici;)  judgment^ 


Ver.  26,  27.      EPISTLE    TO  THE  HEBREWS.  75 

a  just  and  righteous  sentence  denouncing  punishment 
proportionate  to  their  sins  and  crimes,  and  punish- 
ment itself  which  ensues  thereon,  as  immediately  des- 
cribed; and  although  respect  be  had  herein  principally 
to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day;  yet  it  is  not  exclu- 
sive of  any  judgments  that  are  preparatory  to  it,  and 
pledges  of  it;  as  that  which  was  then  impending  over 
the  apostate  Hebrew  church. 

§4.  The  punishment  and  destruction  of  those  sin- 
ners is  (zvpo;  ^y^Xog)  a  fiery  indignation;  which  words 
do  not  relate  to  (sudoxn)  expectation,  as  (upt^ig)  judg- 
ment doth;  it  is  not  the  expectation  of  fiery  indigna- 
tion, but  they  refer  immediately  to  (uroXsi'jelxi)  there 
remaineth;  as  there  remains  an  expectation  of  judg- 
ment, so  there  remains  a  fiery  indignation;  and  so  af- 
terwards (ix^eXKovlog)  which  shall,  refers  to  (irvpog)firey 
and  not  to  (^viAos)  indignation;  this  indignation,  or 
fervor  of  fire,  hath  respect  to  three  things; — The  holi- 
ness of  God's  nature,  from  whence  originally  this 
judgment  proceeds; — the  righteous  act  of  the  'will  of 
God;  sometimes  called  his  wrath  and  anger  from  the 
effects  of  it;  and — the  dreadful  severity  of  the  judg- 
ment in  itself,  its  nature  and  effects,  as  in  the  next 
words:  I  doubt  not  but  respect  is  had  to  the  final 
judgment,  and  the  eternal  destruction  of  apostates; 
but  yet  also  it  evidently  includeth  that  sore  and  fiery 
judgment  which  God  was  bringing  upon  the  obstinate 
and  apostate  Jews,  in  the  total  destruction  of  them 
and  their  church  state  by  fire  and  sword;  which,  (as 
the  event  proves)  might  well  be  called  sl  fiery  indig- 
nation, or  fervor  of  fire;  see  Matt,  xxiv,  29 — 31; 
2  Pet.  iii,  10 — 12,  "fire  that  shall  devour,  or  eat  up  the 
adversaries;"  the  expression  is  taken  from  Isaiah  xxvi, 
11,  for  "the  fire  of  thine  enemies,"  is  that  wherewith 
they  shall  be  burned. 

Vol.  IV.  10 


76  :exposition  of  the  cuap.  i®. 

§5.  (MfXAovIo?)  "z^  shall  devour,"  it  is  (in  procinctu) 
in  readiness  to  come;  though  future,  it  is  ready  to 
make  its  entrance,  and  whatever  appearances  there 
are  of  its  turning  aside,  and  men's  avoiding  it,  it  will 
come  in  its  proper  season;  Heb.  ii,  3,  the  foundation 
of  it  is  the  irreversible  decree  of  God,  accompanied 
with  righteousness  and  the  measure  which  infinite 
wisdom  gave  to  his  patience.  This  was  the  unavoid- 
able season  that  was  approaching,  when  the  adversa- 
ries had  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  sin,  and  God's 
providence  had  saved  the  elect.  (Ts?  virevuvnsg)  the 
adversaries;  he  doth  not  say  those  that  believe  not, 
and  obey  not  the  gospel,  as  elsewhere  when  he  treats 
absolutely  of  the  day  of  judgment,  2  Thes.  i,  8,  9; 
but  intends  those  who,  from  a  contrary  principle,  set 
themselves  against  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gos- 
pel; and  which  is  a  peculiar  description  of  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews  at  that  time;  they  did  not  only  refuse  the 
gospel  through  unbelief,  but  were  acted  by  a  principle 
of  opposition  to  it,  not  only  as  to  themselves,  but  as 
to  others,  1  Thes.  ii,  15,  16,  "who  both  killed  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  their  own  prophets,  and  have  perse- 
cuted us,  and  they  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary 
unto  all  men,  forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles, 
that  they  might  be  saved,  to  fill  up  their  sins  alway, 
for  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermost;'^ 
see  also  Acts  xiii,  45;  xxii,  22,  23. 

What  is  the  effect  of  this  fiery  indignation  against 
those  adversaries?  It  shall  (ffffl/fiv)  eat  them  up;  fire 
eats,  and  as  it  were,  devours,  swallows  up  all  combus- 
tible matter  to  which  it  is  applied;  it  shall  ^^devour'^ 
them  as  to  all  happiness,  all  blessedness,  all  hopes, 
comforts,  and  reliefs,  but  not  their  being;  on  their  being 
this  fire  shall  eternally  prey,  and  shall  never  utterly 
consume  it.     And  if  we  apply  it  to  their  temporal 


Ver.  26, 2r.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,  77 

destruction,  the  similitude  holds  throughout,  for  it 
utterly  consumed  and  devoured  them. 
§6.  (II.)  Let  us  now  proceed  to  observe, 

1.  If  a  voluntary  relinquishment  of  the  profession 
and  duties  of  the  gospel  be  the  highest  sin,  and  be  at- 
tended  with  the  height  of  wrath  and  punishment,  we 
ought  earnestly  to  watch  against  every  thing  that  in- 
clineth  or  disposeth  us  thereunto. 

2.  Every  declension  from  the  profession  of  the  gos- 
pel hath  a  proportion  of  the  guilt  of  this  gi'eat  sin,  ac- 
cording to  the  proportion  it  bears  to  the  sin  itself;  of 
which  there  may  be  various  degrees. 

3.  There  are  sins  and  seasons  wherein  God  abso- 
lutely refuses  to  hear  any  more  from  men  in  order  to 
their  salvation. 

4.  The  loss  of  an  interest  in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
on  whatever  account  it  fall  out,  is  absolutely  ruinous 
to  the  souls  of  men. 

§7.  1.  There  is  an  inseparable  connexion  between 
apostasy  and  eternal  ruin. 

2.  God  oftentimes  visits  the  minds  of  cursed  apos* 
tates  with  dreadful  expectations  of  approaching  wrath 

3.  When  men  have  hardened  themselves  in  sin,  no 
fear  of  punishment  will  stir  them  up  to  seek  after  relief. 

4.  A  dreadful  expectation  of  future  wrath,  without 
hope  of  relief,  is  an  open  entrance  into  hell  itself. 

5.  The  expectation  of  future  judgment  in  guilty 
persons  will  be  at  one  time  or  another  dreadful  and 
tremendous. 

§8.  1.  There  is  a  determinate  time  for  the  accom^ 
plishment  of  all  divine  threatenings,  and  the  inflictions 
of  the  severest  judgments,  which  no  man  can  avoid 
or  abide.  "He  hath  appointed  a  day  wherein  he  will 
judge  the  world."  So  at  present  there  is  a  sort  of 
^nen,  whose  dan^iiation  slcepcth  not,  concerning  whom 


78  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

he  hath  sworn  that  time  shall  be  no  more,  which  is 
the  present  state  of  the  aniichristian  world. 

2.  The  certain  determination  of  divine  vengeance 
on  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  is  a  motive  to  holiness,  a 
support  under  sufferings,  in  them  that  believe.  Lift 
up  your  heads,  know  your  salvation  is  near  at  hand; 
what  manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be?  See  2 
Thess.  i,  7—10. 

3.  The  highest  aggravation  of  the  greatest  sins  is, 
when  men  out  of  a  contrary  principle  of  superstition 
and  error,  set  themselves  maliciously  to  oppose  the 
doctrine  and  truth  of  the  gospel,  with  respect  to  them- 
selves and  others. 

4.  There  is  a  time  when  God  will  make  demonstra- 
tions of  his  wrath  and  displeasure  against  all  such  ad- 
versaries of  the  gospel,  as  shall  be  pledges  of  his  eternal 
indignation. 

5.  The  dread  and  terror  of  God's  final  judgment 
against  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  is  in  itself  incon- 
ceivable, and  only  shadowed  out  by  things  of  the 
greatest  dread  and  terror  in  the  world. 


VERSES  28,  29. 
He  that  des/iised  Moses's  law  died  nvithout  mercy,  under  two  or 
three  witnesses:  of  how  much  sorer  Jiunishment,  sufifiose  ye^ 
shall  he  be  thought  worthy.,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the 
Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  where- 
ivith  he  was  sanctified,  a?i  unholy  thiiig,  and  hath  done  despite 
unto  the  Sfiirit  of  grace. 

§1  (I.)  Exposition,  The  design  of  the  passage.  §2.  Punishment  by  the  law. 
§3.  Greater  punishment  oi  sins  against  the  gospel,  $4.  Being  against  the  per- 
son of  Christ.  §5.  His  priestly  office.  §6.  And  his  spirit.  §7.  The  conse- 
quent severity  of  the  punishment    $8,  9.  (U,)  Observations. 

§1.  (I.)  Xo  convince  the  Hebrews  not  only  of  the 
certainty  and  severity  of  the  judgment  declared,  but 
also  of  the  equity  and  righteousness  of  it,  he  proposeth 
unto  them  the  consideration  of  God's  constitution  of 


Ver.  28,  29.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  7P 

punishment  with  respect  to  the  law  of  Moses,  which 
they  could  not  deny  to  be  just  and  equal.  "He  that 
despised  Moses's  law;"  that  is,  by  such  a  sin  as  the  law 
deemed  capital,  as  murder,  adultery,  incest,  idolatry, 
blasphemy,  and  some  others,  being  committed  with 
an  high  hand  or  presumptuously,  Exod.  xxi,  14; 
Numb.  XV,  30,  31;  Deut.  xvii,  13.  He  who  was  thus 
guilty  is  said  {a^ereiv)  to  despise  Moses's  law,  to  abol- 
ish it,  as  the  word  signifies. 

§2.  The  punishment  was,  "he  died  without  mercy;" 
he  died;  he  was  put  to  death  (not  always,  it  may  be, 
de  facto,  but)  such  was  the  constitution  of  the  law, 
that  he  was  to  be  put  to  death  without  mercy.  There 
were  several  ways  of  inflicting  capital  punishments 
appointed  by  the  law,  as  hanging  on  a  tree,  burning 
and  stoning:  and  it  is  said,  that  he  died  (%«§/?  omnpixov) 
without  mercy,  not  only  because  there  was  no  allou- 
ance  for  any  such  mercy  as  should  save  and  deliver 
him,  but  God  had  expressly  forbidden  that  either 
mercy  or  compassion  should  be  shewed  in  such  cases, 
Deut.  xiii,  6 — 9;  xix,  33.  The  execution  of  this  judg- 
ment was  not  to  be  done  except  [szi  ^vciv  vi  'jrpiai  /xap- 
Tvffiv)  under  t'wo  or  three  tjoitnesses  of  the  fact  and 
crime;  for  the  law  in  that  case  was  very  express:  Deut. 
xvii,  6;  xix,  13;  Numb,  xxxv,  30.  Although  God  was 
very  severe  in  the  prescription  of  these  judgments,  yet 
he  would  give  no  advantage  thereby  to  wicked  and  ma- 
licious persons  to  take  away  the  lives  of  innocent  men; 
and  such  abhorrency  God  had  oi  false  tcitncsses  in 
criminal  causes,  as  he  established  a  lex  talionis  in  this 
cause  alone,  that  a  false  witness  should  suffer  the  ut- 
most of  what  he  thought  and  contrived  to  bring  on 
another.  The  equity  of  whicli  is  still  in  force,  as  suitable 
to  the  law  of  nature,  and  ought  to  be  more  observed 
than  what  it  is:  Deut.  xix,  16—21. 


80  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10- 

§3.  On  this  account  of  sin  and  punishment  under 
the  law,  the  apostle  makes  his  inference  to  the  certainty 
and  equity  of  the  punishment  he  had  declared  with  re- 
spect to  sins  against  the  gospel,  ver.  29,  '^Of  how  much 
sorer  punishment,  &c."  The  first  aggravation  of  the 
sin  intended  is  from  the  object  of  it,  the  person  of 
.Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  which  contains  a  divine  con- 
stellation of  all  the  blessed  effects  of  infinite  wisdom, 
goodness,  and  grace.  In  them  we  have  the  most 
glorious  manifestations  of  these  perfections.  But  how 
comes  the  Son  of  God  to  be  concerned  in  this  matter? 
What  injury  is  done  him  by  apostates  from  the  gos- 
pel? I  answer,  that  as  the  Lord  Christ  in  his  own  per- 
son was  the  special  author  of  the  gospel;  as  his  author- 
ity is  the  special  object  of  our  faith  in  it;  as  his  office, 
with  all  the  fruits  of  it,  is  the  subject,  sum,  and  sub* 
stance  of  the  gospel — so  there  is  no  reception  of  it  in  a 
due  manner  to  salvation,  no  rejection  of  it  to  final 
condemnation,  but  what  is  all  originally,  fundamen- 
tally, and  virtually  contained  in  the  reception  or  re- 
jection of  the  person  of  Christ.  This  is  the  life,  the 
soul,  and  foundation  of  all  gospel  truth;  without  which 
it  is  of  no  power  or  efficacy  to  the  souls  of  men.  I 
cannot  but  observe,  that,  as  whosoever  rejects  the  gos- 
pel, rejecteth  and  forsaketh  the  person  of  Christ;  so,  on 
whatever  account  men  take  up  the  profession  and  per- 
form the  duties  of  it,  if  the  foundation  be  not  laid  in 
a  reception  of  Christ  himself  all  their  professions  will 
be  in  vain. 

§4.  But  it  may  be  thought,  if  the  person  of  Christ 
be  concerned  herein,  yet  it  is  indirectly,  or  consequen- 
tially only,  and  in  some  small  degree;  no,  saith  the 
apostle,  but  he  that  is  guilty  of  this  sin  doth  {vLarura- 
Ty,(Tccg)  trample  on  the  Son  of  God,  or  tread  him  under 
foot,  which  is  the  highest  expression  of  scorn,  con- 


Ver.  23,  29.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  81 

tempt,  and  malice;  conveying  also  the  idea  of  insulting 
over,  as  is  plain  in  the  metaphor.  Christ  proposed  in 
the  gospel,  was  professed  by  these  persons  for  a  while 
to  be  the  Son  of  God,  the  true  Messiah,  the  Savior  of 
the  world;  him  whom  God  had  exalted  above  princi- 
palities and  powers,  and  whom  therefore  we  all  ought 
to  exalt  and  adore  in  our  souls:  but  now  by  this  sort 
of  persons,  he  was  esteemed  an  evil  doer,  a  seducer, 
one  not  at  all  sent  of  God,  but  one  that  justly  suffered 
for  his  crimes;  herein  they  trod  underfoot  the  Son  of 
God  with  all  contempt  and  scorn.  Again;  the  profes- 
sion they  made  was,  to  observe  and  do  all  that  he  had 
commanded  them,  because  all  power  was  given  him  in 
heaven  and  earth;  this  tliey  now  utterly  rejected  and 
despised,  betaking  themselves  to  other  modes  of  divine 
service  in  opposition  to  them. 

%b.  Another  aggravation  of  the  sin  spoken  of  is  its 
opposition  to  the  priestly  office  and  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
here  called  (to  uifxa  tviq  J/cd6v!-/vi?)  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant. This  was  not  only  the  great  expression  of  the 
grace  of  God,  and  of  the  love  of  Christ,  but  also  to 
sinners,  the  cause  of  all  good,  the  centre  of  divine  wis- 
dom in  all  the  mediatory  actings  of  Christ,  the  life  and 
soul  of  the  gospel.  (Ko/vov)  common,  as  opposed  to 
any  thing  that  is  consecrated  to  God,  and  thereby 
made  sacred:  hence  it  is  used  for  pj^ofane  and  unholy, 
as  not  belonging  to  divine  worship.  They  no  longer 
esteemed  it  as  that  blood  wherewith  the  new  covenant 
was  sealed,  confirmed,  and  established,  but  as  the 
blood  of  an  ordinary  man  shed  for  his  crimes,  which 
is  not  sacred,  but  common  and  unholy;  nay,  in  their 
estimation,  not  of  so  much  use  to  the  glory  of  God  as 
the  blood  of  beasts  in  legal  sacrifices,  which  is  the 
height  of  impiety.  Tliose  by  whom  the  efficacy  of 
his  blood  for  the  expiation    of    sin,  by  making  sat- 


82  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

isfaction  and  atonement,  is  denied,  will  neter  be 
able  to  free  themselves  from  making  it  in  some 
sense  a  common  thing;  yea,  the  contempt  which 
has  been  cast  on  the  blood  of  Christ  by  that  sort  of 
men,  will  not  be  expiated  with  any  other  sacrifice  for 
ever.  But  as  Christ  is  precious  to  them  who  believe, 
1  Pet.  i,  19,  so  is  his  blood  also,  wherewith  they  are 
redeemed.  (Ev  u  viyiaa^e)  wherewith  he  was  sanctijied; 
it  is  not  real  or  internal  sanctification  that  is  here  in- 
tended, but  a  separation  and  dedication  to  God,  in 
which  sense  the  w^ord  is  often  used,  and  all  the  dis- 
putes concerning  the  total  and  final  apostasy  from 
faith  and  real  satisfaction,  from  this  place  are  alto- 
oether  vain.  The  chief  difficulty  of  this  text  is,  con- 
cerning whom  these  w^ords  are  spoken?  The  design  of 
the  apostle  in  the  context  leads  plainly  to  Christ  him- 
self, who  w^as  dedicated  to  God,  to  be  an  eternal 
High  Priest,  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant.  This 
these  daring  apostates  esteemed  an  unholy  thing,  such 
as  would  have  no  effect  to  consecrate  him  unto  God 
and  his  mediatorial  office. 

§6.  A  farther  aggravation  of  this  sin  is  taken  from 
its  opposition  to  the  spirit  of  Christ;  [nut  to  xvfu/xas  Tvjf 
xupirog  ew^fiiaug)  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit 
of  grace.  There  are  two  parts  of  this  aggravation; 
the  first,  taken  from  the  object  of  their  sins,  the  Spirit 
of  grace;  the  second,  taken  from  the  manner  of  their 
opposition  to  him,  they  do  him  despise.  This  divine 
person,  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  God  himself,  and  his 
communication  of  grace  and  mercy,  was  he  whom 
these  apostates  renounced  under  this  peculiar  notion 
or  consideration,  that  he  was  peculiarly  sent,  given, 
and  bestowed,  to  bear  witness  to  the  person,  doctrine, 
death,  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  with  the  consequent  glo- 
ry, John  xvi,  4;  1  Pet.  i,  12.     But  now  being  wholly 


Ver.  28,  29.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  8^ 

fallen  off  from  Christ  and  the  gospel,  they  openly  de- 
clared, that  there  was  no  testimony  in  them  to  the  truth, 
but  that  all  these  things  were  either  diabolical  delu- 
sions or  fanatical  misapprehensions.  Now  this  pro- 
ceeding from  them  who  had  once  themselves  made 
the  same  profession  with  others  of  their  truth  and  re- 
ality, gave  the  deepest  t£Ound  that  could  be  given  to 
the  gospel;  for  all  the  adversaries  of  it  who  had  been 
silenced  with  the  public  miraculous  testimonies  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  now  strengthened  themselves  by  the  con- 
fession of  these  apostates,  that  there  was  nothing  in  it 
but  pretence;  and  who  should  better  know  than  those 
who  had  been  of  that  society?  Hence  are  they  said  to 
"(/o  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace:"  they  injure  him  as 
far  as  they  are  able.  The  word  includes  tvrong  with 
contempt.  And  what  greater  despite  could  be  done 
to  him,  than  to  question  his  truth  and  the  veracity  of 
his  testimony?  And  if  lying  to  the  Holy  Ghost  is  so 
great  a  sin,  wiiat  is  it  to  make  the  Holy  Ghost  a  liar? 
§7.  "Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye?" 
which  includes  that  such  a  sinner  shall  be  punished, 
that  this  shall  be  a  sore  punishment,  a  far  greater  pun- 
ishment, that  what  was  inflicted  according  to  the  law, 
such  as  men  shall  be  able  neither  to  abide  nor  to  avoid. 
"Of  how  much  sorer?"  None  can  declare,  none  can 
conceive  it,  1  Pet.  iv,  17,  18.  But  whereas  that  pun- 
ishment was  death  without  mercy,  wherein  could  this 
exceed  it?  I  answer,  because  that  was  a  temporal  death 
only;  for  though  such  sinners  under  the  law  might 
perish  eternally,  yet  that  was  not  by  virtue  of  the  con- 
stitution of  the  Mosaic  law,  which  reached  only  to 
temporal  punishments;  but  this  punishment  is  eternal. 
See  2  Thes.  i,  6—8;  Mark  xvi,  16.  The  way  where- 
by they  are  made  obnoxious  to  it  is,  that  they  are 
{ulicc^ererai)  counted  woiihy  of  it;  they  shall  receive 

VOL.  IV.  11 


^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

neither  more  nor  less  than  their  due:  the  judge  in  this 
case  is  God  himself,  as  the  apostle  declares  in  the  next 
verse;  he  alone  knows,  he  alone  can  justly  determine 
what  such  apostates  are  worthy  of;  but,  in  general, 
that  this  shall  unspeakably  exceed  that  annexed  to  the 
transgression  of  the  law,  is  left  to  themselves  to  judge, 
"suppose  ye."  What  do  ye  think  in  your  own  hearts 
will  be  the  judgment  of  God  concerning  these  sinners? 
This  argument  the  apostle  frequently  insists  upon,  (as 
chap,  ii,  2 — 4,  and  xii,  25,)  and  it  had  a  peculiar  co- 
gency towards  the  Hebrews,  who  had  lived  under  the 
terror  of  those  legal  punishments  all  their  days. 
§8.  (II.)  From  the  whole  we  proceed  to  observe, 

1.  The  contempt  of  God  and  his  authority  in  his 
law,  is  the  gall  and  poison  of  sin. 

2.  When  the  God  of  mercies  will  have  men  shew 
no  mercy,  as  in  temporal  punishments;  he  can  and 
will,  upon  repentance,  shew  mercy  as  to  eternal  punish- 
ment; for  we  dare  not  condemn  all  into  hell  when  the 
law  condemned  as  to  temporal  punishment. 

S.  Though  there  may  be  sometimes  an  appearance 
of  great  severity  in  God's  judgments  against  sinners, 
yet  when  the  nature  of  their  sins  and  their  aggravation 
shall  be  discovered,  they  will  be  manifest  to  have  been 
righteous  and  within  due  measures. 

4.  Let  us  take  heed  of  every  neglect  of  the  person 
of  Christ,  and  his  authority,  lest  we  enter  into  some 
degree  or  other  of  the  guilt  of  this  great  offence. 

5.  The  sins  of  men  can  really  and  actually  reach 
neither  the  person  nor  authority  of  Christ;  they  only 
do  that  in  desire^  which  in  effect  they  cannot  accom- 
plish. This  doth  not  extenuate  their  sin;  the  guilt  of 
it  is  no  less  than  if  they  did  actually  trample  upon  the 
Son  of  God. 

6.  Every  thing  that  takes  off  from  an  high  and 


Ver.  30,  31.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS  85 

glorious  esteem  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  as  the  blood  of 
the  covenant,  is  a  dangerous  entrance  into  apostasy. 

7.  There  are  no  such  cursed  pernicious  enemies  to 
religion  as  apostates. 

§9.  1.  The  inevitable  certainty  of  the  eternal 
punishment  of  gospel  despisers  depends  on  the  essen- 
tial holiness  and  righteousness  of  God,  as  the  ruler  and 
judge  of  all;  it  is  nothing  but  what  he  in  his  just 
judgment,  which  is  according  to  truth,  accounteth 
them  worthy  of,  Rom.  i.  32. 

2.  It  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  deal  thus  with 
men;  wherefore  all  hopes  of  mercy,  or  the  least  relax- 
ation of  punishment  to  all  eternity,  are  vain  as  to 
apostates;  they  shall  have  judgment  without  mercy. 

3.  God  hath  allotted  different  degrees  of  punishment 
to  the  different  degrees  and  aggravations  of  sin. 

4.  The  apostasy  from  the  gospel  here  described, 
being  the  absolute  height  of  all  sin  and  impiety  that 
the  nature  of  man  is  capable  of,  renders  them  eternal- 
ly obnoxious  to  punishment,  and  the  greatest  sin  must 
have  the  greatest  judgment. 

5.  It  is  our  duty  diligently  to  inquire  into  the  na- 
ture of  sin,  lest  we  be  overtaken  in  the  great  offence. 

6.  Sinning  against  the  testimony  given  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  the  truth  and  power  of  the  gospel,  of  which 
men  have  had  experience,  is  the  most  dangerous  symp- 
tom of  a  perishing  condition. 

7.  Threatenings  of  future  eternal  judgments  on  gos- 
pel despisers  belong  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

8.  The  equity  and  righteousness  of  the  most  severe 
judgments  of  God  against  gospel  despisers  is  so  evi- 
dent, that  it  may  be  referred  to  the  judgment  of  men 
themselves  if  not  totally  obstinate  in  their  blindness. 

9.  It  is  our  duty  to  jutify  God  and  to  bear  him 
witness  with  respect  to  the  righteousness  of  his  judg- 
ments against  gospel  despisers. 


85  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  !.•. 


VERSES  SO,   31. 

FoY  we  knoiif  him  that  hath  saidy  vengeance  belongeth  unto  me,  1 
will  recomfiense,  saith  the  Lord.  And  again,  the  Lord  shall 
judge  his  peofile.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  in  the  hands  of 
the  living  God. 

§1,  (I.)  Exposition.  The  severity  before  mentioned  supported  by  sacred  testimo- 
nies. §2.  Vengeance  belongs  to  G(S<I  '3.  God  the  Btiprcme  ju<lge.  J4  Hence 
the  awful  danger  of  falling  under  this  displeasure.    §5,6    (II)  Observations. 

§1.  As  if  the  apostle  had  said,  in  the  severe  sentence 
we  have  denounced  against  apostates,  we  have  spok- 
en nothing  but  what  is  suitable  to  the  holiness  of  God, 
and  what  indeed  in  such  cases  he  hath  declared  he 
will  do.  The  conjunction  {yct^)for,  denotes  the in^ro- 
duct'ion  of  a  reason  of  what  was  spoken  before,  but 
more  particularly  the  reference  he  had  made  to 
their  own  judgments  of  what  sore  punishment  was 
due  to  apostates;  if  you  would  be  fully  convinced  of 
the  righteousness  and  certainty  of  this  dreadful  destruc 
tion  of  apostates,  consider,  in  the  first  place,  the  au- 
thor of  it,  the  only  judge  m  the  case;  "we  know  him 
that  hath  said,"  what  God  speaks  Deut.  xxxii,  35,  36. 
concerning  his  enemies,  and  the  enemies  of  his  people 
in  covenant  with  him,  is  applicable  to  that  people  itself y 
when  they  absolutely  break  and  reject  the  covenant; 
for  these,  upon  their  apostasy  come  into  the  place  of 
the  most  cursed  enemies  of  God  and  his  faithful  peo- 
ple; and  therefore  God  will  be  to  them,  what  he  was 
to  the  worst  of  his  adversaries;  for  shall  he  not  act  in 
the  like  manner  towards  them  who  murdered  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  persecuted  all  his  followers? 

§2.  This  first  testimomj  in  the  original  is  (aSu^'iD]?;- 
'>'?)  to  me  vengeance  and  recommence,  which  the  apostle 
renders  by  (fvS/xo?  ixia^aro^offiu)  a  just  recompence,  to 
the  same  purpose.     Recompence  is  the  actual  exercise 


Ver.  so,  31.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  87 

of  vengeance;  {^my\,  £x^tyiv\(Ti;)  vengeance  is  the  actual 
execution  of  judgment  on  sinners,  according  to  their 
desert,  without  mitigation  of  mercy;  it  is  an  act  of 
judgment,  and  wherever  mention  is  made  of  it,  God 
is  still  proposed  as  adjudge;  it  being  a  just  retribution 
according  to  the  just  demerit  of  sin.     This  vengeance 
God  appropriateth  to  himself  in  a  peculiar  manner,  as 
that  which  in  its  full  latitude,  no  creature  hath  any  in- 
terest in;  see  Psal.  xciv,  1, 2;  for  it  respects  only  sin 
in  its  own  formal  nature,  as  an  offence  against  God; 
although  he  hath  in  magistrates  allowed  the  infliction 
of  punishments  on  offenders  to  answer  the  proper  ends 
of  government  and  to  promote  the  peace  of  the  world; 
yet  as  to  vengeance,  as  it  denotes  giving  satisfaction  to 
ourselves  in  the  punishment  of  others,  it  is  forbidden  to 
all  persons  both  public  and  private.     God  in  executing 
vengeance  gives  satisfaction  to  his  own  infmte  holi- 
ness and  righteousness,  which  makes  it  holy  and  just; 
wherefore  the  formal  reason  of  the  appropriation  of  all 
vengeance  unto  God,  is,  that  he  alone  can  judge  and 
punish  in  his  own  case,  and  to  his  own  satisfaction. 
"He  hath  made  all  things  for  himself,  and  the  wicked 
for  the  day  of  evil;"  in  this  appropriation  of  vengeance 
unto  God  there  is  supposed  and  included,  that  indeed 
there  is  vengeance  with  him,  which  in  due  time  he 
will  execute;  "I  will  repay  saith  God;"  He  doth  often- 
times exercise  great  patience  and  forbearance,  even 
then  when  vengeance  might  justly  be  expected;  *'hovv 
long  dost  thou  not  avenge  our  blood?"  This  common- 
ly adds  to  the  security  of  wicked  men,  and  they  learn 
to  despise  the  threatenings  of  all  the  divine  judgments 
which  they  have  deserved,  2  Pet.  iii,  3 — 7;  Eccles. 
viii,  1 1 ;  they  are  ready  to  conclude,  that  either  ven- 
geance doth  not  belong  to  God,  or  that  it  shall  be  ex- 
e-Guted  when  and  where  they  are  not  concerned;  but 


as  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

a  determined  time  is  fixed  for  the  execution  of  deserv- 
ed vengeance;  hence  he  calls  it  "the  year  of  vengeance, 
and  the  day  of  recompence;"  so  here,  "I  will  recom- 
pence,  saith  the  Lord." 

§3.  The  second  testimony,  taken  from  the  same 
place,  is  of  the  same  import  with  this;  "The  Lord  shall 
judge  his  people."  In  Deuteronomy,  chap,  xxxii,  36; 
it  is  applied  to  such  a  judgment  of  them  as  tends  to 
their  deliverance;  but  the  general  truth  of  the  words 
is,  that  God  is  the  supreme  judge,  he  is  judge  himself; 
Psal.  i,  6;  this  the  apostle  makes  use  of,  concluding 
that  the  righteousness  of  God,  as  the  supreme  judge  of 
all,  obligeth  him  to  this  severe  destruction  of  apostates; 
for  "shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  world  do  right?" 
Shall  not  he  who  is  judge,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  of 
those  that  profess  themselves  to  be  his  people,  punish 
them  for  their  iniquities,  especially  such  as  break  off 
all  covenant  relation. 

§4.  ^'It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God."  These  words  are  both  an  inference 
from  those  immediately  foregoing  and  a  recapitidation 
of  all  he  had  spoken  to  this  purpose.  Let  men  look 
to  it,  let  them  look  to  themselves,  and  consider  what 
they  do;  "for  \t  is  a  fearful  thing,"  &c.  In  what  sense 
God  is  called  the  '■^living  God,"  and  with  respect  to 
what  ends,  hath  been  declared  before,  chap.  iii,12;  and 
ix,  14.  In  brief,  this  title  is  ascribed  to  God  in  oppo- 
sition to  all  dead  and  dumb  idols,  and  with  respect  to 
his  eternal  power,  whereby  he  is  able  to  avenge  the 
sins  of  men:  indeed  it  calls  to  mind  all  the  other  holy 
properties  of  his  nature,  which  are  suited  to  impress 
dread  and  terror  on  presumptuous  sinners,  whose  pun- 
ishment is  thence  demonstrated  to  be  unavoidable;  the 
event  of  sinning  is  [s^Treosiv  ei;  xeipag)  to  fall  into  his 
hands;  which  is  a  common  expression  with  reference 


Ver.  30,  31.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,  89 

to  the  power  of  any  one  over  his  enemies;  none  can 
be  said  to  '-tall  into  the  hands  oi  God,"  as  if  they  were 
not  before  in  his  power;  therefore  it  denotes  to  be  ob- 
noxious to  his  power  and  judgment  when  there  is 
nothing  in  God  himseU',  nothing  in  his  word,  nothing 
in  the  law,  nothing  in  the  gospel,  that  can  be  pleaded 
for  the  least  abatement  of  punishment.  There  is  no 
property  of  God  that  can  be  implored;  it  is  the  de- 
struction of  the  sinner  alone,  whereby  they  will  all 
be  glorified;  [Qofispov)  a  fearful,  dreadful  thing,  that 
which  no  heart  can  conceive,  nor  tongue  express 
men  are  apt  to  put  off  all  thoughts  of  it,  or  to  have 
slight  thoughts  about  it;  but  in  itself  how  dreadful, 
terrible,  and  eternally  destructive  of  all  their  happiness, 
and  inflictive  of  all  the  evil  that  our  nature  is  capable 
of!  This  therefore  is  a  passage  of  holy  writ  much  to 
be  considered,  especially  in  these  days,  wherein  mert 
grow  cold  and  careless  in  their  profession,  and  are 
signalized  by  awful  marks  of  declension. 

^.  (II.)  We  may  here  observe, 

1.  There  can  be  no  right  judgment  made  of  the 
nature  and  demerit  of  sin,  without  a  due  consideration 
of  the  nature  and  holiness  of  him  against  whom  it  is 
committed;  nothing,  therefore  will  state  our  thoughts 
aright  concerning  the  guilt  and  demerit  of  sin,  but  a 
deep  consideration  of  the  infinite  greatness,  holiness, 
righteousness,  and  power  of  God.  To  which  we  may 
add,  that  God  acts  not  as  to  the  effects  of  these  prop- 
erties of  his  nature,  but  on  a  preceding  contempt  of 
his  bounty,  grace,  and  mercy,  as  it  is  impossible  that 
sin  should  come  into  the  world  but  by  the  contempt  of 
these  things;  for,  antecedently  to  all  possibility  of  sin- 
ning, God  communicates  the  effects  of  his  goodness  and 
bounfij  to  the  creation,  and,  in  the  reference  to  those  sins 
which  are  against  the  gospel,  the  effect  of  his  grace 


^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chat.   10. 

and  mercy,  this  is  that  which  will  give  us  a  due  meas- 
ure of  the  guilt  and  demerit  of  sin;  look  upon  it  as  ^ 
contempt  of  infinite  goodness,  bounty,  grace,  and  mer- 
cy, and  as  rising  up  against  infinite  greatness,  holiness, 
righteousness,  and  power,  and  we  shall  view  it  as  it  is. 

2.  Under  the  apprehensions  of  the  great  severities  of 
divine  judgments,  the  consideration  of  God,  the  author 
of  them,  will  both  relieve  our  faith  and  quiet  our  hearts. 
We  shall  need  nothing  else  to  give  the  most  full  satis- 
faction to  our  souls,  than  to  consider  him  who  hath 
said,  "vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay  it." 

3.  A  due  consideration  of  the  nature  of  God,  and 
that  he  is  judge  of  all,  especially  of  his  people,  and  that 
enclosure  he  hath  made  of  vengeance  to  himself,  under 
an  irrevocable  purpose  for  its  execution,  gives  indu- 
bitable assurance  of  the  certain  unavoidable  destruc- 
tion of  all  wilful  apostates;  all  their  security,  all  their 
presumptuous  hopes  will  vanish  before  this  considera- 
tion, as  darkness  before  the  rising  sun. 

4.  Although  those  who  are  the  peculiar  people  of 
God  stand  in  many  relations  to  him  that  are  full  of 
refreshment  and  comfort,  yet  let  them  constantly  re- 
member that  he  is  the  holy  and  righteous  judge,  even 
towards  his  own  people. 

5.  The  knowledge  of  God  in  some  good  measure, 
both  as  to  what  he  is  in  himself,  and  what  he  hath 
taken  on  himself  to  do,  is  necessary  to  render  either 
his  promises  or  threatenings  effectual  to  the  minds  of 
men. 

§(6.  1.  There  is  an  apprehension  of  the  terror  of  the 
Lord  in  the  final  judgment,  which  is  of  great  use  to 
the  souls  of  men,  2  Cor.  v,  11;  at  least  to  them  who 
are  not  yet  irrevocably  engaged  in  the  tremendous  ef- 
fect of  it. 

2.  When  there  is  nothing  left  but  the  expectation  of 


Ver,  32—34.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  Ql 

judgment,  its  fore-apprehension  will  be  filled  with 
dread  and  terror.     "It  is  a  fearful  thing." 

3.  The  dread  of  the  final  judgment  where  there 
shall  be  no  mixture  of  ease,  is  altogether  inexpressible. 

4.  That  man  is  lost  for  ever  who  hath  nothing  in 
God  that  he  can  appeal  to;  nothing  in  the  law  or  gos- 
pel which  he  can  plead  for  himself;  and  this  is  the 
state  of  all  wilful  apostates. 

3.  Those  properties  of  God  which  are  the  principal 
delight  of  believers,  the  chief  object  of  their  faith,  hope, 
and  trust,  are  an  eternal  spring  of  dread  and  terror  to 
all  impenitent  sinners;  "the  living  God." 

6.  The  glory  and  honor  of  the  future  state  of  bles- 
sedness and  of  misery  are  inconceivable,  either  to  be- 
lievers or  to  sinners. 

7.  The  fear  and  dread  of  God,  in  the  description 
of  his  wrath,  ought  continually  to  be  on  the  hearts  of 
all  who  profess  the  gospel. 


VERSES  32—34. 
jBut  to  call  to  remembrance  the  former  daijs  in  luhich-,  after  yc 
luere  illuminattd,  ye  endured  a  great  fi'^ht  of  aijlictions;  /mrtlyy 
luhilst  ye  were  made  a  gazing-stock^  both  by  refiroaches  and 
afflictions,  and  partly,  ivhilst  ye  became  companions  of  them 
that  were  so  used;  for  ye  had  compassion  on  me  in  my  bonds^ 
and  took  joyfully  the  s/ioiling  of  your  goods;  knowing  in  your- 
selves, that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  aub- 
sta?ice. 

Jl.  (I.)  Exposition;  gf^neral  design  and  import  of  the  words.  §2.  The  former 
days,  what  Their  being  illimiinHted,  what.  ,3  Their  figlst  of  afflictions. 
4.  Reproaches.  §5.  .Vlade  a  gazing-stock  §6  Became  voluntary  corapaa- 
ions  ot  sufferers.  $7,8.  Tlieir  sym'palhy  with  Paul.  J9.  Their  encourage- 
ment for  so  doing.     §10,  11,  (11.)  Ohservations, 

§1.  (I.)  X  HE  words  in  their  coherence,  intimated  in 
the  adversative  {h)  but,  have  respect  to  the  exhorta- 
tion laid  down,  ver.  25.  All  the  verses  interposed 
contain  dehortation  from  the  evil  which  they  are 
warned  of     (Avc|x/fjLvvi(rxfa6f )  call  to  mind;  it  is  not  a 

VOL.  IV.  12 


92  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  Id. 

bare  remembrance,  but  a  calling  to  mind,  so  as  to 
consider  what  support  they  had  under  their  sufferings, 
what  satisfaction  in  them,  what  deliverance  from 
them,  that  they  might  not  despond  upon  the  approach 
of  the  like  evils;  for  if  we  thus  call  to  mind  what  was 
the  cause  for  which  we  suffered,  the  honor  of  our  suf- 
ferings out-balancing  all  the  contempt  and  reproaches 
of  the  world;  the  presence  of  God  enjoyed  in  them; 
and  the  reward  proposed  to  us; — our  minds  will  be 
greatly  strengthened. 

§2.  (TuQ  %pole(iov  viixepag)  ike  former  days;  it  is  un- 
certain what  days  or  seasons  the  apostle  peculiarly  in- 
tends; besides  those  continual  hazards  they  were  in 
from  their  adversaries,  and  the  occasional  sufferings 
they  were  exposed  to,  they  seem  to  have  had  some 
special  season  of  persecution  before  the  writing  of  this 
epistle;  the  first  was  in  the  stoning  of  Stephen;  when 
great  persecution  arose  against  all  the  church,  and  ex- 
tended itself  to  all  the  churches  of  Christ  in  that  na- 
tion, wherein  our  apostle  himself  was  highly  concern- 
ed. Acts  viii,  1;  ix,  1;  xxii,  19,  and  xxvi,  10,  11.  And 
there  was  another  on  occasion  of  this  holy  apostle 
himself;  for  upon  his  last  coming  to  Jerusalem,  after 
his  great  successes  in  preaching  the  gospel  among  the 
Gentiles,  the  whole  body  of  the  people  was  filled 
with  rage  and  madness  against  him  and  all  the  other 
disciples.  (Ev  ui;  Qulia&evleg)  in  which  ye  were  enlight- 
ened^ or  rather,  "in  which  having  been  enlightened." 
The  mention  of  this  their  illumination,  being  in  the 
time  past,  manifests  that  their  enlightening  preceded 
those  days  of  their  sufferings;  the  one  following,  as  it 
were,  immediately  on  the  other.  This  enlightening 
was  that  work  of  God's  grace  whereby  they  were,  1 
Pet.  ii,  9,  "called  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous 
light;"  the  ''light  of  the   knowledge  of  God  shining 


Ver.  32—34.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  93 

into  their  hearts."  This  spiritual  change  was  present- 
ly followed  with  days  of  allliction,  trouble,  and  perse- 
cution. In  itself  it  is,  for  the  most  part,  accompanied 
with  joy,  delight,  real  and  vigorous  actings  of  faith 
and  love,  1 .  Pet.  i,  8.  Hence,  frequent  mention  is  made 
of  the  first  love  of  persons  and  churches.  And  it  is 
usual  with  God  thus  to  deal  with  his  people  in  all  ages; 
he  no  sooner  calls  them  to  himself,  but  he  "leads  them 
into  the  tvilderness;^^  he  no  sooner  plants  them,  but 
he  shakes  them  with  storms,  that  they  may  be  more 
firmly  rooted.  And  this  he  doth — to  take  off  their 
expectation  from  this  world;  to  try  their  faith:  1 
Pet.  V,  6,  7;  for  the  glory  and  propagation  of  the 
gospel;  for  the  exercise  of  all  graces;  to  breed  us  up 
for  the  military  discipline  of  Christ,  who  is  the  cap- 
tain of  our  salvation.  They  who  pass  through  their 
first  trials,  are  Christ's  veterans  for  new  attempts. 

§3.  "Ye  endured  a  great  fight  of  afflictions;^^  we 
render  the  original  word  (7ra6vi|xa7wv)  afflictions,  al- 
though, by  the  particulars  afterwards  mentioned,  it 
appears  the  apostle  intended  only  persecutions  from 
men;  but  the  word  {lu^'/iij.cilci)  is  properly  sufferings; 
the  same  that  the  apostle  useth  to  express  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  chap,  ii,  10,  and  v,  8.  It  is  a  general 
name  for  every  thing  that  is  hard  and  afflictive  to  our 
nature,  from  whatever  cause  it  arises;  and  therefore 
all  the  evils,  troubles,  hardships,  and  distresses  that 
may  befall  men  on  account  of  their  profession;  this  is 
what  we  are  called  to,  and  of  which  we  are  not  to 
think  strange.  He  calls  us  indeed  to  "his  eternal 
glory;"  but  we  must  suffer  with  him,  if  we  expect  to 
reign  with  him.  Of  these  afflictions  and  persecutions 
they  had  {%oXhv\v  afiXvio-zv)  a  great  fight;  a  great  labor 
and  contention  of  spirit.  The  allusion  is  taken  from 
their  wrestling  and  fighting  in  the  athletic  (commonly 


94  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

called  the  Olympic)  games,  who  contended  publicly 
for  victory,  with  the  glory  and  honor  attending  it. 
Now  there  were  no  occasions  of  life  wherein  men  so 
voluntarily  engageJ  themselves  in  difficulties  and  dan- 
gers, as  in  those  games  and  strivings  for  mastery;  in 
like  manner,  no  man  is  compelled  to  enter  into  the 
gospel  combat,  but  they  must  make  it  an  act  of  their 
own  choice,  but,  in  order  to  obtain  it,  they  must  un- 
dergo a,  great  strife,  contention,  and  dangerous  conflict. 
(T'rreyueiveiU)  ye  endured,  and  bore  patiently,  so  as  not 
to  faint  or  despond,  or  turn  away  from  your  profes- 
sion; ye  came  off  conquerors,  having  failed  in  no  point 
of  your  conflict.  This  the  apostle  would  have  them 
<'call  to  remembrance,"  that  they  might  be  strength- 
ened and  encouraged  for  future  engagements. 

§4.  "Partly,  whilst  ye  were  made  a  gazing-stock, 
both  "by  reproaches  and  afflictions;"  their  sufferings 
consisted  of  reproaches  and  afflictions;  and  as  to  the 
manner  of  suffering,  they  were  made  a  gazing-stock. 
[OvBi^KTixoig)  reproaches,  are  a  great  aggravation  of  suf- 
ferings to  ingenuous  minds.  The  psalmist,  in  the  per- 
son of  Chnst  himself,  complains,  that  "reproaches  had 
broken  his  heart,"  Psal.  Ixix,  20.  There  are  ttvo 
branches  of  reproaches;  false  accusations,  or  charg- 
ing men  with  vile  and  contemptible  things,  such  as 
will  expose  them  to  public  scorn  and  rage;  and  the 
contempt  that  is  cast  upon  what  is  true,  good,  and 
praise  worthy;  they  reproach  them  with  their  faith  in 
Christ,  their  worship  of  him,  and  their  owning  his 
authority;  this  in  itself  was  their  honor  and  their 
crown;  but  as  it  was  managed  with  hatred  and  blasphe- 
my, as  it  was  confirmed  by  the  common  consent  of 
all,  as  it  received  strength  and  countenance  from  their 
suffering,  wherein  tl^iey  were  esteemed  punished  for 
their  sins  and  impieties^  it  greatly  added  to  their  distress. 


Ver.  32—34.   EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  95 

§5.  The  manner  of  their  suffering  these  things  was, 
(6ea?p/?(j|tjt,evo<)  they  were  made  a  gazing-stoch;  they 
were  brought,  as  it  were,  on  the  public  stage,  or  thea- 
tre, and  there  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  evils;  for  when 
guilty  persons  were  cast  to  beasts  to  be  devoured,  it 
was  in  the  theatre,  where  they  were  made  a  spectacle, 
or  a  gazing-stock  to  the  people.  But  the  apostle  limits 
the"  sufferings  of  the  Hebrews  to  reproaches  and  afflic- 
tions; they  had  not  "yet  resisted  unto  blood;"  so 
at  Ephesus  they  drew  Gains  and  Aristarchus  into  the 
theatre,  and  were  there  publicly  exposed  with  an  in- 
tention to  destroy  them,  Acts  xix,  2^\  so  when  men 
and  women  were  driven  or  dragged  out  of  their  meet- 
ings into  the  streets,  or  committed  to  prisons.  Acts  viii, 
3;  then  were  they  loaded  with  all  manner  of  reproach- 
es, and  made  a  gazing-stock  to  all  about  them;  but 
their  cause  and  their  divine  example  were  sufficient  to 
support  them  on  these  occasions  however  trying. 

§6.  The  other  part  of  their  sufferings  was,  that  they 
"became  the  compan'jns  of  them  that  were  so  used;" 
they  came  into  a  fdlotvship  of  sufferings  with  them 
that  [six;  flcy^c-lpfCtic/xfvwv)  'twere  so  used,  that  had  their 
tmy  and  course  of  conversion  in  the  world,  in  that 
manner. 

I  am  rather  inclined  to  regard  a  double  distribution 
0^  things  and  persons  in  the  text;  that  o(  things  {tbIo 
\L£)i)  partly,  in  actual  suffering,  and  a  participation 
of  the  suffering  of  others;  that  of  persons  {tsIo  Se)  and 
partly,  in  that  only  some  of  those  to  whom  he  wrote 
did  actually  in  their  own  persons  suffer  the  things  of 
which  he  speaks,  and  the  rest  of  them  were  only  com- 
panions with  them  that  suffered;  and  so  it  generally 
falls  out  in  the  fiercest  persecutions;  all  are  not  called 
forth  to  the  same  actual  sufferings;  some  in  the  or- 
der of  Providence,  and  through  the  rage  of  men,  are 


96  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  19. 

singled  out  for  trials;  and  some  escape,  at  least  for  a 
season,  and  it  may  be  are  reserved  for  the  same  trials 
at  another  time;  so  it  may  be  said  of  the  whole  churchy 
that  they  endured  a  great  fight  of  afflictions,  while 
some  of  them  were  a  gazing-stock,  &c.  and  others  of 
them  were  companions  of  them  who  were  so  used. 

(Ko/vwvo/  ysvvj^svlag)  IVJiilst  ye  became  companions; 
by  their  common  interest  in  the  same  cause  for  which 
they  suffered, — by  their  apprehension  that  the  same 
sufferings  would  reach  to  themselves,  seeing  there  was 
the  same  cause  in  them  as  in  others;  by  their  sor-rowy 
trouble,  and  compassion  for  the  suffering  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  same  body  and  exalted  head;  by  all  duties 
of  love  and  afflictions  which  they  discharged  in  owning 
and  visiting  of  them;  by  the  communication  of  their 
goods,  and  outward  enjoyments  to  them,  who  had 
suffered  the  loss  of  their  own;  so  were  they  made 
their  "companions." 

§7.  "For  ye  had  compassion  of  me  in  my  bonds." 
This  he  affirms  as  a  proof  of  what  he  had  spoken  be- 
fore; (k«/  yap)  for  even  ye  had  compassion  on  me.  I 
have  proved  before  that  the  apostle  Paul  was  the  au- 
thor of  this  epistle,  and  this  very  passage  is  a  strong 
confirmation  of  it;  for  who  else  could  there  be,  whose 
bonds  for  the  gospel  were  so  known  among  the  be- 
lieving Jews,  as  his  own?  Hence  he  styles  himself  in 
particular,  Philem.  i,  the  prisoner,  the  bond-man  of 
Christ,  and  he  gloried  in  his  bonds  as  his  peculiar  hon- 
or, Acts  xxvi,29;  Ephes.  vi,20;  Phil.  i,7.  and  12—16; 
Col.  iv,  18;  2  Tim.  ii,  9.  It  is  unreasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  any  other  is  intended.  Note,  of  what  kind 
our  sufferings  shall  be,  is  at  the  sovereign  disposal  of 
God;  wherefore  let  every  one  of  us  be  content  and  re- 
joice in  what  way  soever  God  shall  be  pleased  to  call 
us  to  suffer  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  the  glory 
of  his  name. 


Ver.  32—34.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  97 

§8.  {ZvvfKu^Vi<7e\e)  ye  had  compassion;  ihvy  suffered 
iogether  \\'\\h  him  therein,  they  were  not  unconcerned 
in  his  sufferings,  as  being  satisfied  with  their  own  free- 
dom, as  is  the  manner  of  some;  no,  it  is  not  a  heartless, 
fruitless,  ineffectual  piety  that  the  apostle  intends,  but 
such  a  frame  of  mind  as  hath  a  real  concern  in  the  suf- 
ferings of  others,  and  is  operative  in  suitable  duties  to- 
wards their  good. 

He  next  minds  them  of  their  deportment  under  their 
own  sufferings;  ^^and  took joj/fully  the  spoiling  of  your 
goods  ''  (T7rap%ov7wv)  their  outi^mrd  substance,  and  pre- 
enjoyments;  it  is  especially  applied  to  things  of  present 
use,  as  the  goods  of  a  man's  house,  his  money,  corn  or 
cattle,  which  are  more  subject  to  rapine  and  spoil, 
than  other  real  possessions,  lands,  or  inheritances. 

The  way  whereby  they  were  deprived  of  their  goods 
was  by  {up^uyviv)  rapine  and  spoil,  to  satisfy  their  rage 
and  malice,  in  tb.c  ruin  of  the  saints  of  Christ. 

The  frame  of  mind  in  the  Hebrews,  as  to  this  part 
of  their  suffering,  is,  that  they  took  their  losses  and 
spoils  ffxfia  xa^uQ)'with  joy.  Nothing  usually  more 
affects  the  minds  of  men  than  the  sudden  spoiling  of 
their  goods,  what  they  have  lahcyred  for;  what  they 
have  use  for,  what  they  hawe  provided  for  themselves 
and  their  families.  But  these  Hebrews  received  this 
rapine,  not  only  patiently  and  cheerfully,  but  with  a 
certain  peculiar  joy. 

§9.  "Knowing  in  yourselves,  that  ye  have  in  heav- 
en a  better  and  enduring  substance.  Some  Greek 
copies,  and  ancient  translations,  read  the  words;  (y/v- 
tiKTHovleg  ev  npccvotg)  "knowing  that  ye  have  in  heaven;^' 
and  not  (fv  suvhig)  in  yourselves.  1  shall  therefore 
open  the  words  according  to  both  readings. 

1.  'Knowing  that  ye  have  in  yourselves;"  the 
things  which  they  had  lost  were  their  goods,  their 


98  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

*'substance"  as  they  are  called  Luke  xv,  13.  To  these 
he  opposeth  the  substance  in  themselves,  which  none 
could  spoil  them  of.  Such  is  the  peace  and  joy  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  gives  to  his  church  here  below, 
John  xvi,  22.  chap,  xiv,  27.  And  if  the  ''substance'' 
here  intended  be  that  which  was  in  themselves,  in  oppo- 
sition to  those  external  goods  which  they  were  depriv- 
ed of.  then  it  is  that  experimental  subsistence  in  the 
souls  of  believers,  which  faith  gives  to  the  grace  and 
love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus;  in  this  sense  [yivicanovUg) 
knotmng,  expresseth  an  assurance  arising  from  expe- 
rience, the  powerful  experience,  which  faith  gave  them 
of  it;  see  Rom.  v,  1 — 5;  and  this  substance  is  (apsilovx) 
better,  incomparably  more  excellent,  than  the  outward 
goods  that  are  subject  to  spoil;  and  it  is  (/xevac-^v)  abid- 
ing, that  which  will  not  leave  them  in  whom  it  is,  nor 
can  never  be  taken  from  them;  "my  joy  shall  no  man 
take  from  you." 

2.  If  we  follow  the  ordinary  reading,  this  substance 
is  said  to  be  in  heaven;  there  prepared,  there  laid  up, 
there  to  be  enjoyed;  wherefore,  it  compriseth  the 
w4-Jole  of  the  future  state  of  blessedness;  and  it  is  well 
called  "substance,"  being  all  riches,  an  inheritance,  a 
weight  of  glory;  for,  in  comparison  of  it,  all  temporary 
things  have  no  substance  in  them. 

Again,  they  are  said  (exeTv)  to  have  this  substance 
not  in  present  possession,  but  in  right,  title,  and  evi- 
dence; they  knew  in  themselves  that  they  had  an  un- 
deniable title  to  it,  because  it  is  prepared  for  them  in 
the  will,  pleasure,  and  grace  of  God;  "it  is  your  Fa- 
ther's good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom;"  be- 
cause it  is  purchased  for  them  by  the  blood  of  Christ; 
promised  to  them  in  the  gospel;  secured  for  them  in 
the  intercession  of  Christ;  granted  to  them  in  the  fust 
fruits;  and  all  this  confirmed  to  them  by  the  oath  of 


Ver.  32—34.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  99 

God;  the  first  fiuits  they  had  in  possession  and  use,  the 
whole  ill  right  and  title;  and  continual  application  of  it 
was  made  to  their  souls  by  the  hope  which  will  not 
make  ashamed. 

How  this  substance  is  belter  than  outward  enjoy- 
ments, and  abiding,  needs  not  to  be  explained,  they 
are  things  in  themselves  so  plain  and  evident. 

§10.  (II.)  The  following  short  observations  maybe 
here  made, 

1.  A  wise  management  of  former  experience  is  a 
great  direction  and  encouragement  to  future  obetlience. 

2.  All  men  by  nature  are  darkness,  and  in  darkness. 

3.  Saving  illumination  is  the  first  fruit  of  effectual 
vocation^ 

4.  Spiritual  light  in  its  fust  communication  puts 
the  soul  on  the  diligent  exercise  of  all  graces. 

5.  It  is  suited  to  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God 
to  suffer  persons  on  their  first  conversion  to  fall  into 
manifold  trials  and  temptations. 

6.  All  temporary  sufferings,  in  all  their  aggravating 
circumstances,  in  their  most  dreadful  preparations 
and  appearances,  are  but  light  things  in  comparison 
of  the  gospel  and  its  precious  promises. 

7.  I'here  is  nothing  in  the  whole  nature  or  circum- 
stances of  temporary  sufferings,  that  we  can  claim  an 
exemption  from,  after  we  have  undertaken  the  pro- 
fession of  the  gospel. 

8.  It  is  reserved  to  the  sovereign  pleasure  of  God, 
to  measure  out  to  all  professors  of  the  gospel  their 
special  lot  and  portion  of  trials  and  sufferings  so  as 
that  none  ought  to  complain,  none  envy  one  another. 

§11.  1.  Faith  giving  an  experience  of  the  excellency 
of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  of  the  grace  received 
thereby,  with  its  incomparable  preference  above  all 
outward  perishing  things,  will  give  joy  and  satisfaction 

VOL.   IV.  1.') 


100  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  10. 

in  the  loss  of  them  all,  on   account  of  an  interest  in 
these  better  things. 

2.  It  is  the  gloiy  of  the  gospel  that  it  will,  from  a 
sense  of  an  interest  in  it,  afford  satisfaction  and  joy  in 
the  worst  of  suffering  for  it. 

3.  It  is  our  duty  to  take  care  that  we  be  not  sur- 
prised with  outward  sufferings,  when  we  are  in  the  dark 
as  to  our  interest  in  these  things. 

4.  Internal  evidences  of  the  beginnings  of  glory,  in 
divine  grace;  a  sense  of  God's  love,  and  assured  pledg- 
es of  our  adoption,  will  afford  inseparable  joy  under 
the  greatest  outward  sufferings. 

5.  It  is  our  present  and  eternal  interest  to  preserve 
our  evidences  fdr  heaven  clear  and  unstained,  so  that 
we  may  "know  in  ourselves"  our  right  and  title  to  it, 

6.  There  is  a  substance  in  spiritual  and  eternal 
things,  whereto  faith  gives  a  subsistence  in  the  souls 
of  believers.  See  chap,  xi,  1. 

7.  There  is  no  rule  of  proportion  between  eternal 
and  temporal  things;  hence  the  enjoyment  of  the  one 
will  give  joy  in  the  loss  of  the  other. 

VERSES  35,  3G. 
Cast  ?iot  aivay  therefore  tjour   conjidence^  nvhich  hath  great  rec- 
ommence of  reward;  for  ye  have  need  of  patience;  that  after  ye 
have  done  the  luiil  of  God,  ye  might  receix'C  tiie  firomise. 

§1.  (T.)  Connexion  aticl  exposition  of  tlie  words.  Not  to  <ast  OMay  lonfulence, 
vliat.  <i'2.  '!  Fie  matter  of  it.  ^3.  The  scitbun  of  eoutinuing  the  (hit)-.  §4. 
yll.)  Observations. 

§1.  (I)  In  these  two  verses  there  is'bclh  an  wjer- 
ence  from  the  former  argument,  and  a  covjirmaiion  of 
it;  the  inference  is  plain;  seeing  you  liave  suffered  so 
many  things  in  your  persons  and  goods,  seeing  God 
by  the  power  of  his  grace  hath  carried  ycu  through 
with  satisfaction  and  joy,  do  not  now  dc&pcr.d.     Ih^ 


I^Ver.  35,  36.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  101 

confirmation  lies  in  ver.  26;  that  which  he  exhorts 
them  to  is  the  preservation  and  continuance  of  their 
{%ci(){i'/\(xiav)  confidence,  as  to  invincible  constancy  of 
mind  and  boldness  in  professing  the  gospel,  in  the  face 
of  all  difficulties,  through  a  trust  in  God,  and  a  valua- 
tion of  the  eternal  reward. 

This  confidence  which  hath  been  of  such  use  to  them, 
they  are  exhorted  (jxv]  u%o^clKv\\£)  not  to  cast  away;  he 
doth  not  say,  leave  it  not,  forego  it  not;  but  ''cast  it 
not  away;"  for  where  any  graces  have  been  stirred 
up  to  their  due  exercise,  and  have  had  success,  they 
will  not  fail,  nor  be  lost,  without  some  positive  act  of 
the  mind  in  rejecting  them.  When  faith,  on  any 
occasion,  is  impaired  and  insnared,  this  confidence  will 
not  abide;  and  so  soon  as  we  begin  to  fail  in  our  con- 
fidence, it  will  reflect  weakness  on  faith  itself;  and 
hence  it  appears  how  great  is  the  evil  here  dehorted 
from,  and  what  a  certain  entrance  it  will  prove 
into  apostasy  itself  if  not  seasonably  prevented. 

§2.  What  the  apostle,  as  to  the  matter  of  it,  here 
calls  a  recompence  of  reward,"  he  in  the  next  verse, 
from  the  formal  cause  of  it,  calls  the  promise,  that 
promise  which  we  receive  after  we  have  done  the  will 
of  God;  wherefore,  what  is  here  intended  is  the  glory 
of  heaven,  proposed  as  a  retcard  by  way  of  recom- 
pence to  them  that  overcome  in  their  sufferings  for  the 
gospel.  A  free  gift  of  God,  for  the  "wages  of  sin  is 
death,  but  tiiegift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord."  They  are  as  sure  in  divine  prom- 
ises as  in  our  own  profession;  and  although  they  are 
yet  future,  faith  gives  tliem  a  present  subsistence  in 
the  soul,  as  to  their  power  and  efficacy,  for  ye  have 
need  of  (vxopt,ovvic)  patience;  a  bearing  of  evils  with 
quietness  and  complacency  of  mind,  without  raging, 
fretting,  despondency,    or  inclination  to  compliance? 


|03  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1«, 

with  undue  ways  of  deliverance:  "In  patience  posses? 
your  souls;"  confidence  will  engage  men  in  trouble 
and  difficulties  in  a  way  of  duty;  but  if  patience  take 
not  up  the  work,  and  carry  it  on,  confidence  will  flag 
and  fail.  See  chap  vi,  11,  12.  P«#i>?7ce  is  the  per- 
fecting grace  of  suffering  Christians,  Jam.  i,  4. 

This,  saith  the  apostle,  ''you  have  need  of."  He 
speaks  not  absolutely  of  the  grace  itself,  as  though  they 
had  it  not,  but  of  its  continual  exercise  in  their  condi- 
tion; and  the  necessity  here  intimated  is  grounded  on 
these  two  suppositions; — That  those  who  profess  the 
gospel  in  sincerity  shall  ordinarily  meet  with  trials  on 
the  account  of  that  profession;  and — that  without  the 
constant  exercise  of  patience,  none  can  pass  through 
them  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  own  advantage 
in  obtaining  the  promise  of  eternal  life.  Patience  is 
not  a  mere  endurance  of  trouble,  but  is,  indeed,  the  due 
exercise  of  all  graces  under  sufferings;  nor  can  any 
grace  he  acted  in  that  condition  where  patience  is 
wanting:  it  is  therefore  indispensably  necessary  for 
this  condition. 

%S.  "That  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God." 
There  is  no  discharge  from  his  duty  until  we  have 
done  the  will  of  God.  The  rf/  of  God  is  twofold; — 
the  will  of  his  purpose  and  good  pleasure,  the  eternal 
act  of  his  counsel,  which  is  accompanied  with  infinite 
wisdom  concerning  all  things  which  shall  come  to 
pass;  and — the  will  of  his  command  presenting  to  us 
a  required  duty.  And  both  these  senses,  I  judge,  are 
included  in  this  place. 

What  is  meant  here  by  the  "p?'om?5e"  is  evident 
from  the  context;  even  all  the  promises  of  grace  and 
mercy  in  the  covenant  which  they  had  already  receiv- 
ed. God  had  not  only  given  them  the  promises  of 
these  things,  but  he  had  given  them   the  good  things 


Vkh.  sr— 39.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  103 

themselves,  as  to  their  degrees  and  the  measures  of 
their  enjoyment  in  this  world.  And  as  to  the  prom- 
ise oj  eternal  life  and  glory,  they  liad  received  that  al- 
so, and  did  mix  it  witli  faith;  but  the  thing  itself 
promised  they  had  not  leceived.  This  different  notion 
of  the  promises,  the  apostle  declares,  chap,  xi,  17,  39; 
as  we  shall  see,  God  willing. 

§4.  (II.)  Fi'om  the  whole  observe  the  following 
things: 

1.  In  times  of  suffering,  and  in  the  approaches  of 
them,  it  is  the  duty  of  believers  to  look  on  the  glory 
of  heaven  under  the  notion  of  a  refreshing,  all-suffi- 
cient I  eward. 

2.  He  that  would  abide  faithful  in  difficult  seasons, 
must  fortify  his  soul  with  an  unconquerable  patience. 

3.  The  glory  of  heaven  is  an  abundant  recompenc^ 
for  all  we  undeigo  in  our  ways  towards  it. 

4.  Believers  ought  to  sustain  themselves  in  their  suf- 
ferings with  the  promise  of  future  glory. 

5.  The  future  blessedness  is  given  us  by  promise, 
and  is  therefore  free  and  undeserved. 

6.  The  consideration  of  eternal  life,  as  the  free  effect 
of  divine  grace,  and  as  proposed  in  a  gracious  promise, 
is  a  thousand  times  more  full  of  spiritual  refreshment 
to  a  believer,  than  if  he  should  conceive  of  it  as  a  re- 
ward proposed  to  our  own  doings  or  merits. 

VERSES  3r— 39. 
For  yet  a  little  ivhile^  and  lie  that  shall  coine,  will  come,  and  not 
tarry.  .Yow  the  just  shall  live  by  faith;  bat  if  any  man  dratu. 
back,  my  soul  shall  hav/'  no  /ileasure  in  him.  But  ivc  are  not 
of  them  who  draw  back  unto  /ierditio7i,  but  of  them  that  believe 
to  the  aavinif  of  the  soul. 

§1.  Introduction.  §2  (I.)  Exposition  of  the  words.  He  that  was  to  come, 
Christ  ,3.  The  just  living  by  faith.  §4.  The  contrary  cliaracter.  J5.  The 
sentence  denounced  against  apostasy.  <$6.  The  apostle  s  charitable  conclusion 
concerning  the  Hebrews.     $7 — IC.  (II)  Observations: 

§1.   JL  HE  substance  of  the  apostolical  exhortation,  as 
hath  been  often  observed,  is  to  inspire  the  Hebrews 


lOfci  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

with  constancy  in  their  profession  against  persecutions 
and  temptations.  To  this  end  he  commends  to  them 
the  necessary  use  of  confidence  and  patience;  and  in 
these  verses,  he  makes  a  iransiiion  to  the  consideration 
oi faith  itself,  whereunto  he  resolves  the  whole  consid- 
eration to  constancy. 

§2.  (I. )  '-For  yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall  come 
will  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  It  might  arise  in  the 
minds  of  these  Hebrews,  that  it  was  a  long  time  for 
them  to  be  exercised  with  these  troubles,  and  they 
might  begin  to  fear  they  should  be  worn  out  by  them. 
To  encourage  them  against  the  influence  of  this  tempt- 
ation, the  apostle  accommodates  a  testimony  out  of 
the  prophet  Habbakuk,  which  leads  him  directly  to 
the  consideration  of  the  power  and  efficacy  o{  faith, 
Hab.  ii,  3,  4.  'Tor  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed 
time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie;  though 
it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  shall  surely  come,  it  will 
not  tarry.  Behold,  his  soul  which  is  lifted  up,  is  not 
upright  in  him,  but  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith." 
He  speaks  of  a  "vision,"  that  is,  a  prophetical  vision 
of  good  things,  which  God  would  effect  in  due  time; 
and  there  is  the  same  reason,  in  general,  of  all  the 
promises  of  God.  '■'Though  it  tarry ^^  saith  he,  that 
is,  seem  to  you  to  do  so;  for  believers  are  apt,  under 
their  sufferings,  to  regard  the  seeming  delays  of  the 
accomplishment  of  divine  promises,  of  long  continu- 
ance; (as  wicked  men  and  scoffers,  on  the  contrary, 
harden  themselves  in  their  sins  and  impieties  on  the 
same  account  of  God's  threatenings,  2.  Pet.  iii,  3,  4,) 
but,  saith  he,  Hi  "jdHI  not  tarry"  that  is,  although  it 
seem  to  you  to  do  so,  and  are  dejected  about  it,  yet 
there  is  an  appointed  time  for  it,  and  in  itself  no  long 
time,  beyond  which  it  shall  not  be  deferred  one  mo- 
ment, Isa.  Ix,  22;  2,  Pet,  iii.    This   whole  sense  the 


Ver.  57—39.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  l65 

apostle  compriseth  in  this  short  verse, — (M//fov)  a  liUle 
space;  though  it  seem  to  tarry,  wait  for  it,  it  will  come 
after  a  short  space  of  time,  as  if  he  had  said,  ''My 
brethren  faint  not,  be  not  weary  nor  discouraged,  keep 
up  confidence  and  patience,  you  know  what  you  ex- 
pect, which  will  be  an  abundant  recompence  to  you 
for  all  your  suffeiings;  and  whatever  appearances  there 
may  be  of  its  tarrying,  whatever  it  may  seem  to  you, 
yet  if  you  have  but  a  prospect  into  eternity,  be  it  w'hat 
it  will,  it  is  but  a  very  little  "jchile.'''' — "He  that  shall 
come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  What  the 
prophet  spake  of  the  vision  he  saw,  the  apostle  applies 
to  the  person  of  Christ,  (6  e^%o^evo;)  he  that  shall  come; 
for  this  term  is  frequently  used  as  a  periphrasis  of 
him.  Once  it  is  used  to  express  his  eternity,  Rev.  i,  8; 
but  generally  it  hath  respect  to  the  promise  of  him; 
yet,  after  he  was  come  in  the  flesh,  he  was  to  come 
again  on  a  double  account. 

1.  In  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  exercise  of  his 
royal  authority;  the  assi?tiince  of  his  Spirit,  with  his 
miraculous  operations  with  the  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
was  an  illustrious  advent  of  Christ,  not  in  his  own 
person,  but  in  that  of  his  representative,  whom  he 
promised  to  send  in  his  stead. 

He  was  to  come  in  the  exercise  of  his  royal  author- 
ity, for  the  punishment  and  destruction  of  his  stubborn 
and  inveterate  adversaries;  and  thus,  in  respect  of  his 
enemies,  Christ  is  still  "/je  thai  is  to  comeP  and  as 
such,  is  to  be  believed  in,  and  his  coming  prayed  for 
by  all  the  saints;  for  he  is  to  destroy  "the  man  of  sin," 
the  head  of  the  apostasy,  by  the  brightness  of  his 
coming. 

2.  Christ  is  (d  ff%o^fvof)  he  nvho  is  to  come;  with 
respect  to  his  coming  to  judgment  at  the  last  day:  this 
is  known  and  confessed,  and  the  busine  s  of  his  com- 


106  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

ing  therein  is  the  prayer  of  the  whole  church,  Rev. 
xxii,  20.  To  every  state  of  the  church  there  is  a 
coming  of  Christ  suited  and  accommodated  to  their 
condition,  whereby  their  faith  is  kept  in  continual  ex- 
ercise of  desires  after  it.  This  was  the  life  of  faith 
under  the  Old  Testament,  as  to  his  coming  in  the 
flesh,  until  it  was  accomplished.  This  faith,  after  hi& 
resurrection,  they  lived  by,  though  but  for  a  short 
season,  until  he  came  in  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  and 
his  miraculous  operations,  to  convince  the  world  of 
sin,  righteousness,  and  judgment.  Nor  do  I  under- 
stand how  the  just  can  live  by  faith,  without  a  con- 
tinual expectation  of  the  coming  of  Christ,  in  a  way 
suited  to  the  sufferings  and  deliverance  of  his  church. 
All  the  saints  have  exercised  faith  in  ihis  word,  that 
it  was  but  a  little  ivhile,  and  he  that  shall  come,  will 
come;  and  the  case  is  the  same  with  those  who  suffer 
under  the  antichristian  apostasy.  They  live  by  faith 
in  the  expectation  of  that  coming  of  Christ,  where- 
with the  man  of  sin  shall  be  consumed;  and  although 
it  seem  to  tarry,  they  wait  for  it:  this  is  the  faith  and 
patience  of  the  saints. 

Wherefore  the  end  for  which  this  coming  of  Christ 
is  proposed  to  the  church,  being  the  support  and  en- 
couragement of  their  souls  to  faith  and  patience,  a  re- 
spect must  be  had  to  such  a  coming,  as  is  suited  to 
their  relief  in  their  present  state  and  condition;  and 
this,  to  these  Hebrews,  was  then  (eli  [u-a^ov  oaov  oaov) 
yet  a  little  u^Jiile,  in  a  literal  sense.  It  is  accommoda- 
ied  to  all  other  states  of  the  church,  and  the  consider- 
ation of  the  coming  of  Christ,  at  the  last  day,  to  the 
linal  and  eternal  judgment,  ought  not  to  be  omitted. 

^o.  "Now  the  just  shai!  live  by  faith;"  the  Greek 
particle  {he)  whicli  we  render  "Hote',"  is  taken  for  (">) 
the  Hebrew   pieiix,   which    is   oftentimes    excej^tive 


Ver.  3r— 39.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  lOT 

(T»"nv'\)  and  in  the  prophet  the  expression  is  plain,  be- 
cause it  followeth  the  description  of  the  contrary 
frame  to  what  is  here  asserted,  '-whose  heart  is  lifted 
up."  But  the  Greek  particle  (Jf)  hath  the  force  of  an 
exceptive  only  in  respect  to  the  difficulty  supposed  in 
the  case  under  consideration,  the  sufferings  and  tempt- 
ations of  professors,  and  the  appearance  of  delay  as  to 
their  deliverance  out  of  them.  "But,''  saith  the  apostle, 
notwithstanding  these  things,  "the  just  shall  live  by 
faith,"  (o  ^i'/.ctiog)  a  just  person,  a  man  really  made  just, 
or  justified  by  faith.  Yet  what  is  principally  here  in- 
tended, is  that  qualification  of  a  righteous  man,  which 
is  opposed  to  pride  and  haste  of  spirit  through  unbelief, 
whereon  men  draw  back  from  God  in  the  profession 
of  the  gospel.  The  just  man,  he  who  is  humble, 
meek,  sincere,  subdued  to  the  will  of  God,  waiting  for 
his  pleasure,  as  all  justified  persons  are  in  their  several 
degrees — shall  live;  for  he  is  free  from  the  principle 
of  pride  and  unbelief,  which  ruins  the  souls  of  men  in 
times  of  trial.  "Shall  live  by  faith,"  (ex  Tta-lsug)  by 
faith,  may  be  joined  with  (o  dtmiog)  the  just,  and  so 
express  the  instrumental  cause  whereby  a  man  becomes 
to  be  just.  Or  it  may  denote  the  way  whereby  a  just 
man  perseveres  even  to  life,  in  his  profession;  and  this 
sense  I  embrace,  because  it  is  an  entrance  into  the  de- 
monstration of  the  mighty  things  which  have  been 
done  and  suffered  through  faith  by  believers.  What- 
ever difficulties  and  oppositions  a  just  man  meets  with 
in  the  way  to  life  eternal,  faith  will  carry  him  through 
them  with  safety  and  success.  "He  shall  live,"  life  in 
both  the  principal  senses  of  it  is  here  intended: — he 
shall  not  die  from  his  profession;  he  shall  not  perish  as 
trees  plucked  up  from  the  roots,  twice  dead;  he  shall 
maintain  a  spiritual  life,  the  life  of  God,  as  the  psalm- 
ist speaks,  "I  shall  not  die  but  live,  and  declare  the 
VOL.  iv.  14 


•08  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10, 

loving  kindness  of  the  Lord."  And,  finally,  he  shall 
live,  attain  the  promise  of  eternal  life;  or,  as  in  the 
next  verse,  "believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul." 

§4.  In  the  latier  part  of  the  verse  there  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  others,  on  a  supposition  of  the  contrary  state 
and  event.  In  the  former  the  person  is  righteous,  the 
way  of  his  acting  is  by  faith,  and  the  event  is  life; 
"he  shall  live."  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  suppo- 
sition made  of  a  person  not  so  qualified,  not  so  acting, 
not  so  living,  not  having  the  same  success,  b«it  contra- 
ry in  all  these  things.  Wherefore,  they  do  greatly 
deceive  themselves  and  others,  who  suppose  it  is  the 
same  person  who  is  thus  spoken  of,  and  countenance 
themselves  by  the  defect  of  the  pronoun  {ng)  any  one, 
which  is  naturally  and  necessarily  supplied  in  our 
translation.  Wherefore,  in  the  next  verse,  the  apostle 
makes  an  express  distinction  concerning  whom  he 
speaks  in  the  two  states;  the  one,  (uTrotrloAv)?)  ofperdi- 
iion;  the  other,  (x/fflfw;)  of  faith.  Of  the  latter  he 
had  spoken  in  the  fust  words,  and  of  the  former  in 
these;  I  shall  therefore  retain  the  supplement,  ^^ if  any 
man,  or  any  one,  draw  back,"  "if  there  be  in  any  an 
evil  heart  of  unbelief  in  departing  from  the  living 
God." 

There  is  an  appearance  of  a  great  change  in  the 
words  of  the  prophet.  For  ''his  soul'^  which  in  the 
prophet  is  referred  to  the  persons  offending,  is  by  the 
apostle  referred  to  God  who  is  offended.  But  it  is 
enough  that  the  apostle  gives  us  the  plain  general  sense; 
and  indeed  he  seldom  keeps  to  the  proper  tcords  of 
the  testimonies  he  quotes,  but  always  gives  the  mind 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them,  (yTroaleihvfiai)  draw  back; 
the  word  in  the  prophet  denotes  the  cause  of  the  sin 
intended.  The  original  of  all  defection  iVom  the  gos- 
pel is  a  sinful  relation  of  heait^  not  submitting  to,  no 


Ver.  sr— 39.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  109 

acquiescing  in  the  will  of  God,  not  satisfied  with  the 
condition  of  temporal  sufferings  on  the  account  of  the 
eternal  reward.  When  men  are  under  the  power  of 
this  evil  frame  of  heart,  they  will  draw  back,  subduct 
themselves  out  of  that  state  and  condition  wherein 
they  are  exposed  to  these  inconveniences,  "/jf  any 
man"  who  makes  a  profession  of  faith  in  Christ  and 
the  gospel,  ^'withdraw"  himself  from  that  profession, 
and  communion  with  them  who  persist  faithful  in  it, 
"my  heart  shall  not,"  &c.  This  is  the  evil  which  the 
great  design  of  the  whole  epistle  is  to  obviate  and  pre- 
vent. 

§5.  The  sentence  denounced  against  this  sin  is,  "my 
soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him."  The  soid  of  God 
is  God  himself;  but  he  so  speaks  of  himself,  to  affect  us 
with  a  due  apprehension  of  his  concern  in  what  he  so 
speaks,  as  we  are  affected  with  what  oursoulsand  minds, 
and  all  our  affections,  are  engaged  in.  So  God  promises 
to  the  church  that  he  will  rejoice  over  them  with  his 
whole  heart,  and  with  his  whole  soul.  Hehaihno  delight 
in  such  a  person,  he  is  not  pleased  with  him,  he  shall 
not  live  before  him.  There  is  a  meiosis  in  the  words  he 
will  abhor  him,  despise  him,  and  in  the  end  utterly 
destroy  him.  All  apostates  have  some  pretence  for 
what  they  do,  wherewith  they  justify  themselves,  until 
their  iniquity  be  found  out  to  be  hateful.  Wherefore 
to  deprive  them  of  this  pretence,  the  apostle  declares, 
"that  the  soul  of  God  takes  no  pleasure  in  them,"  in 
which  all  positive  evils  are  included.  For  when  God 
doth  not  delight  in  any  person,  the  consequence  is 
that  he  will  utterly  destroy  them.     See  Jerem.  xv,  1 . 

§6.  "But  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto 
perdition;"  we  are  not  {vxotrloKvis  sig  wxuKetuv)  of  with- 
drawing, that  is,  of  them  who  withdraw  or  draw 
b^ck  unto  perdition.     No  small  numbers  there  were 


110  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

who,  even  then,  were  falling  into  apostasy.  This 
whole  band  of  rovers,  though  in  profession  harnessed 
like  the  children  of  Ephraim,  turned  their  backs  in  the 
day  of  battle:  the  event  of  this  defection  was  destruc- 
tion. Gradual  decays  and  declensions  there  may  be 
among  true  believers,  from  which  they  may  be  recov- 
ered; but  those  here  intended  are  such  as  fall  into  etei'- 
nal  ruin,  as  appears  from  the  antithesis,  wherein  it 
is  opposed  to  the  "saving  of  the  soul. ''^ 

"But  of  them  who  believe  to  the  savirg  of  the  soul." 
What  is  asserted  of  these  believing  Hebrews  is,  that 
they  belonged  to  another  state  which  had  another 
event.  But  we  are  (T/^rlew?)  of  faith,  of  that  which  is 
effectual  [ng  ntspmoiviaiv  nI/u^ji?)  to  the  saving  of  the  soul. 
Both  here,  and  in  the  former  clause,  not  only  the 
event  but  the  actual  influence  of  apostasy  on  the  one 
hand  to  destruction,  and  of  faith  on  the  other  to  the 
saving  of  the  soul,  is  intended;  as  the  preposition  [eig) 
intimates. 

§7.  (II.)  From  the  words  and  exposition  let  us  ob- 
serve: 

1.  The  delay  of  the  accomplishment  of  promises  is 
a  great  exercise  of  faith  and  patience;  hence  are  all  the 
exhortations  not  to  faint  in  our  minds. 

2.  It  is  essential  to  the  profitable  exercise  of  faith, 
when  we  look  for  Christ's  appearance,  that  it  be  acted 
on  the  promise  of  his  coming. 

6.  There  is  a  promise  of  the  coming  of  Christ  suit- 
ed to  the  state  and  condition  of  the  church  in  all 
ages. 

4.  The  appearing  delay  of  the  accomplishment  of 
any  of  these  promises  requires  an  exercise  of  the  faith 
and  patience  of  the  saints. 

5.  Every  such  coming  of  Christ  hath  its  appointed 
iieason,  beyond  which  it  shall  not  tarry. 


Ver.  37-^39.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  1 1 1 

6.  This  divine  disposal  of  things  renders  necessary 
the  continual  exercise  of  faith,  prayer,  and  patience 
about  the  coming  of  Christ. 

7  Although  we  may  not  know  the  special  dispen- 
sations of  time  that  are  passing  over  us,  yet  all  believ- 
ers may  know  the  state,  in  general,  of  that  church  in 
which  they  are,  and  what  coming  of  Christ  they  are 
to  expect, 

8.  Faith  is  satisfied  with  the  promise  of  a  good,  or 
a  deliverance  to  the  church;  although  a  man  be  persuad- 
ed that  personally  he  shall  not  enjoy  it;  the  faith  of  this 
kind  is  for  the  church,  and  not  for  men's  individual 
persons. 

9.  Under  despondencies  as  to  any  peculiar  appear- 
ances or  comings  of  Christ,  it  is  the  duty  of  believers 
to  fix  and  exercise  their  faith  on  his  illustrious  appear- 
ance at  the  last  day. 

10.  E\ery  particular  coming  of  Christ  in  a  way 
suited  to  the  present  deliverance  of  the  church,  is  an 
infallible  pledge  of  hisc  oming  at  the  last  day  to  judg- 
ment. 

11.  Every  promised  coming  of  Christ  is  certain,  and 
shall  not  be  delayed  beyond  its  appointed  season, 
when  no  difficulties  shall  be  able  to  stand  before  it. 

§8.  1.  There  are  special  qualifications  of  grace  re- 
quired to  steadfastness  in  profession  in  times  of  persecu- 
tion and  long  continued  trials. 

2.  Many  things  are  required  to  secure  the  success 
of  our  profession  in  times  of  difficulties  and  trials;  as — 
that  our  persons  are  righteous  or  justified  by  grace; — 
that  we  be  furnished  with  those  graces  that  are  ap- 
pointed to  that  end;  and — that  faith  be  kept  to  a  diligent 
exercise 

3.  The  continuance  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  eternal 


112  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  10. 

salvation  of  true  believers,  are  secured  from  all  op- 
positions whatever. 

§9.  1.  No  persons  whatever  ought  to  be  on  any 
^consideration  secure  against  those  sins  to  which  pres- 
ent circumstances  give  an  efficacy. 
*  2.  It  is  an  effect  of  spiritual  wisdom  to  discern  what 
is  the  dangerous  and  prevailing  temptation  ot  any  sea- 
son, and  vigorously  to  set  ourselves  in  opposition  to  it. 

3.  It  is  much  to  be  feared,  that  in  great  trials  some 
will  draw  back  from  that  profession  of  the  gospel 
wherein  they  are  engaged. 

4.  This  defection  is  commonly  durable,  continued 
by  various  pretences;  this  is  included  in  the  original 
word  {v%o(7leiKBlxi)  gradually  and  covertly  to  subduct 
himself. 

§10.  1.  It  is  our  duty  to  look  diligently  that  we 
are  of  that  holy  frame  of  mind,  that  due  exercise  of 
faith,  as  the  soul  of  God  may  take  pleasure  in  us. 

2.  Though  there  appear  as  yet  no  outward  tokens 
of  the  anger  and  displeasure  of  God  against  our  ways; 
yet  if  we  are  in  that  state  wherein  God  hath  no  pleas- 
ure in  us,  we  are  entering  into  certain  ruin. 

3.  Backsliders  from  the  gospel  are  in  a  peculiar 
manner  the  abhorrency  of  the  soul  of  God. 

4.  When  the  soul  of  God  is  not  delighted  in  any, 
nothing  can  preserve  them  from  utter  destruction. 

5.  The  scripture  every  where  testifieth,  that  in  the 
visible  church  there  is  a  certain  number  of  false  hypo- 
crites, whose  end  and  lot  it  is  to  be  destroyed. 

6.  It  is  our  most  urged  duty  to  evidence  to  our  own 
consciences,  and  give  evidence  to  others,  that  we  are 
not  of  this  number. 

T,  Nothing  can  free  apostates  from  eternal  rqin. 


Vkr.  i.         EPISTLE  TqJthE  HEBREWS.  US 


0^ 


CHAPTER  XI 

VEKSE  1. 

.Vow  faith  is  the  substance  of  tBngs  hoped  for^  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen. 

$1.  The  apostle's  great  argument  recapitulated.  His  present  design.  $2.  His 
defiaitioii  of  faith  §S,  4.  (I.)  The  subsUnce  of  things  hoped  for.  §5.  (II.) 
The  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  §6,  (III  )  Observations.  §7.  Great  objec- 
tions are  apt  to  lie  against  invisible  things  when  externally  revealed.  $8,  9. 
Remaining  observations. 

§1.  J.  HE  general  nature  of  this  epistle,  as  hortatory^ 
hath  been  repeatedly  noticed;  and  the  apostle — having 
evidently  declared  from  the  scripture  itself  that  the 
state  of  the  gospel  church  in  its  high  priest,  sacrifice, 
covenant,  worship,  privileges,  and  efficacy,  is  incom- 
parably to  be  preferred  above  that  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament; yea,  that  all  the  excellency  and  glory  of 
that  state,  and  all  that  belonged  to  it,  consisted  only 
in  the  representation  ihdt  w^as  made  thereby  of  the 
greater  glory  of  Christ  and  the  gospel,  without  which 
they  were  of  no  use,  and  therefore  pernicious  to  be 
persisted  in; — having  fixed  their  minds  in  the  truth, 
and  armed  them  against  the  temptations  which  they 
were  continually  exposed  to,  the  opposition  which  be- 
fell them,  and  the  persecutions  they  were  like  to  under- 
go from  the  obstinate  members  of  the  Jewish  church; — 
having  hinted,  at  the  close  of  the  last  chapter,  that  the 
only  way  and  means  on  their  part,  whereby  they  may 
be  kept  constant  to  their  profession,  notwithstanding 
all  the  evils  that  might  befall  them,  is  by  faith  alone; — 
being  thus  delivered  from  temptations  by  the  doctrine 
of  truth,  and  i'vom.  the  opposition  made  to  them  by 
faith  in  exercise; — the  apostle,  I  say,  proceeds  to  shew 
what  this  faith  is.  and  produces  abundant  evidence  to 


lU  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

prove  that  it  is  able  to  ef%ct%his  great  work  of  pre- 
serving men  in  the  profession  of  the  truth,  under 
bloody  and  destructive  persecutions. 

This  being  the  design  of  the  apostle,  the  missing  of 
it  hath  caused  sundry  contests  about  the  nature  o^jiis- 
iifying  faith,  which  is  here  not  at  all  spoken  to;  for 
the  apostle  treats  not  of  justification,  or  of  faith  a^ 
justifying,  but  of  its  efficacy  and  operation  in  them 
who  are  justified,  with  respect  to  constancy  and  per- 
severance in  their  profession,  notwithstanding  the  dif- 
ficulties which  they  have  to  conflict  with;  as  it  is  treat- 
ed of  James  ii. 

And  here,  before  we  descend  to  a  particular  discus- 
sion, we  may  remark,  that  it  is  faith  alone,  which, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  under  all  dispensa- 
tions of  divine  grace,  and  all  alterations  in  the  church 
state  and  worship,  hath  been  in  the  church  the  only 
principle  of  living  unto  God,  of  obtaining  the  promises, 
and  of  inheriting  life  eternal. 

2.  "Faith  is  the  (vKo^laaig)  substance  of  things 
hoped  for;"  this  word  is  used,  besides,  2  Cor.  ix,  4;  xi, 
17,  thrice  in  this  epistle;  in  the  first  it  is  applied  to  ex- 
press a  distinct  manner  of  subsistence  in  the  divine 
nature,  chap  i,  3.  In  the  second  a  firm  persuasion  of 
the  truth,  supporting  our  souls  in  the  profession  of  it; 
chap,  iii,  14.  In  this  place,  we  render  it  substance; 
more  properly  it  is  a  real  subsistence,  as  opposed  to  ap- 
pearing phantasms.  The  sense  of  the  place  is  well 
expressed  in  the  Greek  scholiast;  "whereas  things  that 
are  in  hope  only,  have  no  subsistence  of  their  own  as 
being  not  present;  faith  becomes  the  subsistence  of 
them,  making  them  to  be  present  after  a  certain  man- 
ner;" and  the  Syriac,  "a  persuasion  of  the  things  that 
are  in  hojie,  as  if  they  were  to  them  in  effect;'^  which 
goes  a  great  way  towards  the  tiue  exposition  of  the 


Ver.  1.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  115 

words.  I  shall,  however,  retain  the  word  ^'substance,^' 
as  opposed  to  what  hath  no  real  being  or  subi^istence, 
but  only  an  appearance  of  things. 

Unto  this  faith  two  things  are  ascribed;  that  it  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for — and,  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen;  having  discussed  these  two  things, 
we  shall  subjoin  some  observations. 

§3.  (I.)  Faith  is  the  substance  (eK^ii^ofxevuv)  of 
things  hoped  for;  these,  in  general,  are  things  good, 
promised,  future,  expected  on  unfailing  grounds;  all 
things  of  present  grace  and  future  glory.  Hope  in 
God  for  these  things,  to  be  received  in  their  appointed 
season,  is  the  great  support  of  believers,  under  all  their 
trials  in  the  whole  course  of  their  profession,  obedience, 
temptation,  and  sufferings;  things  hoped  for,  and  things 
unseen^  are  not  absolutely  the  same;  for  there  are 
things  unseen  which  are  the  objects  of  faith,  and  yet 
not  hoped  for;  such  is  the  creation  of  the  world,  where- 
in the  apostle  gives  an  instance.  To  the  things  intend- 
ed, faith  gives  present  subsistence  as  they  are  real,  and 
evidence  as  they  are  true;  their  futurity,  and  distance, 
faith  supplies,  and  gives  them  a  real  subsistence;  and 
where  do  they  subsist  as  if  they  were  actually  in  effect, 
whilst  they  are  yet  hoped  for?  '-In  them,"  saith  the 
Syriac  translation;  that  is,  in  them  that  believe. 

§4.  There  are  several  ways  whereby  faith  gives  a 
present  subsistence  to  things  future  and  hoped  for: 

1.  By  mixing  itself  with  the  promises  wherein  they 
are  contained;  divine  promises  do  not  only  declare 
the  good  things  promised, — that  there  are  such  things 
which  God  will  bestow  on  believers;  but  they  contain 
them  by  virtue  of  divine  institution;  hence  are  they 
called  the  "breasts  of  consolation,"  Isa.  Ixvi,  11;  as 
those  which  contain  the  refreshment  they  exhibit  and 
convey;  they  are  the  treasury  in  which  God  hath  laid 

VOL.  IV.  13 


lia  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

them  up;  hence  "to  receive  a  promise,"  actively,  is  to 
receive  the  things  promised  which  are  contained  in 
them,  and  exhibited  by  them,  2  Pet.  i,  4;  now  faith 
mixeth  and  incorporateth  itself  with  the  word  of 
promise,  whereby  what  is  in  the  word  becomes  its  own, 
the  things  themselves  believed  are  enjoyed,  and  this  is 
their  subsistence  in  us. 

2.  By  giving  the  soul  a  taste  of  their  goodness;  yea, 
making  them  its  food,  which  they  cannot  be  unless 
they  are  r^eally  present  to  it;  we  not  only  by  faith 
"taste  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,"  1  Pet,  ii,  3;  that  is, 
have  an  experience  of  the  grace  of  God  in  sweetness 
and  goodness  of  the  things  promised  and  bestowed, 
but  the  word  itself  is  the  meat,  the  food,  the  milk,  and 
strong  meat  of  believers;  because  it  really  exhibits  to 
their  faith  the  goodness,  sweetness,  and  nourishing  vir- 
tue of  spiritual  things;  they  feed  on  them,  and  they  in- 
corporate with  them,  which  is  their  present  subsistence. 

3.  It  gives  an  experience  of  their  power,  as  to  all 
the  ends  for  which  they  are  promised.  Their  use  and 
end  in  general  is  to  change  and  transform  the  whole 
soul  into  the  image  of  God,  by  a  conformity  to  Jesus 
Christ  the  first-born.  This  we  lost  by  sin,  and  this  the 
good  things  of  the  promise  restore  us  to,  Eph.  iv,  20 — 
24.  It  is  not  truth,  merely  as  truth,  but  truth  as  con- 
veying the  things  contained  in  it  unto  the  soul,  that  is 
powerfully  operative  to  this  end.  This  is  an  eminent 
way  of  faith's  giving  a  subsistence  to  things  hoped  for, 
in  the  souls  of  believers.  Where  this  is  not,  they  are 
to  men  as  clouds  afar  off,  which  yield  them  no  refresh- 
ing showers.  Expectation  of  "things  hoped  for,"  when 
they  are  not  in  this  power  and  efficacy  brought  by 
faith  into  the  soul,  are  ruinous  self-deceivings.  For 
them  to  have  a  subsistence  in  us  is  for  them  so  to 
abide  in  us  in  their  power  and  efficacy  as  to  answer 
all  the  ends  of  our  spiritual  life,  see  Eph.  iii,  16 — 19. 


Vek.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  117 

4.  It  really  communicates  unto  us,  or  we  receive 
by  it,  the  first  fruits  of  them  all.  In  believers  they 
are  present;  they  subsist,  even  the  greatest,  most 
glorious,  and  heavenly  of  them,  in  their  first  fruits. 
These  first  fruits  are  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  spirit  of 
grace,  sanctification,  supplication,  and  consolation, 
Rom.  viii,  23,  For  he  is  the  seal,  the  earnest,  the 
pledge  of  present  grace  and  future  glory;  all  the  good 
things  "hoped  for,"  2  Cor.  i,  22.  This  Spirit  we  re- 
ceive by  faith;  the  world  "cannot  receive  him,"  John 
xiv,  17.  The  law  could  not  give  him,  Gal.  iii,  2. 
And  wherever  he  is,  there  is  (^vrojluaig)  a  jjresent  sub- 
sistence of  all  things  hoped  for,  in  their  beginning, 
benefit,  and  assurance. 

5.  It  gives  a  representation  of  their  beauty  and  glo- 
ry to  the  minds  of  believers,  whereby  they  behold 
them  as  if  they  were  present.  So  Abraham  by  faith 
"saw  the 'day  of  Christ,"  and  rejoiced,  and  the  saints 
under  the  Old  Testament  saw  the  "king  in  his  beauty." 

§5.  (II.)  It  is  said  in  the  description  of  the  faith, 
that  it  is  (fAey%05  a  /JAfTTOfj^ivcdv)  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen.  By  ^'things  not  seen''^  the  apostle  intends 
all  those  things  which  are  not  proposed  to  our  outward 
senses,  but  which  ought  to  influence  our  constancy 
and  perseverance  in  profession;  now  these  are  God 
himself,  the  holy  properties  of  his  nature,  the  person  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  all  spiritual,  heavenly, 
and  eternal  things  that  are  promised,  and  not  yet  ac- 
tually enjoyed. 

Again;  of  these  invisible  things  faith  is  said  to  be 
the  {tUyxog)  evidence,  that  which  demonstrates,  the 
revelation.  Properly,  it  is  such  a  proof  or  demonstra- 
tion of  any  thing,  as  carries  with  it  a  confutation  o 
all  objections  to  the  contrary.  Thus  faith  is  a  con 
vincing  evidence,  plainly  reproving  and  refuting  a 


118  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

things  that  make  any  pretensions  against  the  truth  so 
evidenced. 

§6.  (III.)  From  hence  o&.9er're, 

1.  No  faith  will  carry  us  through  the  difficulties  of 
our  profession,  from  oppositions  within  and  without, 
giving  us  constancy  and  perseverance  therein  to  the 
end,  but  that  which  gives  the  good  things  hoped  for 
a  real  subsistence  in  our  mind;  but  when,  by  mixing 
itself  with  the  promise,  which  is  the  foundation  of 
hope,  (for  to  hope  for  any  thing  but  what  is  promis- 
ed, is  to  deceive  ourselves)  it  gives  us  a  taste  of  their 
goodness,  an  experience  of  their  power,  the  inhabita- 
tion of  their  first  fruits,  and  a  view  of  their  glory,  it 
will  infallibly  effect  the  blessed  end. 

2.  The  peculiar  specific  nature  of  faith,  whereby  it 
is  differenced  from  all  other  powers,  acts,  and  graces 
in  the  mind,  lies  in  this,  that  it  lives  on,  or  makes  a 
life  of  things  invisible.  It  is  not  only  conversant 
about  them,  but  mixeth  itself  with  them,  making  them 
the  spiritual  nourishment  of  the  soul. 

3.  It  is  the  glory  of  our  religion,  that  it  depends  on, 
and  is  resolved  ii;to,  invisible  things;  they  are  far 
more  excellent  and  glorious  than  any  thing  sense  can 
behold  or  reason  discover,  1  Cor.  ii,  9. 

§7.  Obs.  Great  objections  are  apt  to  lie  against  in- 
visible things,  wlien  externally  revealed.  Men  would 
fain  live  the  life  of  sense,  or  at  least  believe  no  more 
than  what  they  can  have  a  scientific  demonstration  of. 
But  by  these  means  we  can  have  no  evidence  of  in- 
visible thmgs;  or,  at  best,  not  such  as  may  influence 
properly  our  Christian  profession:  this  is  done  by 
faith  alone.  We  may  have  apprehensions  of  some 
ot  these  things  by  reason  and  the  light  of  nature,  as 
the  apostle  declares,  Rom.  i,  19,  &c;  but  we  cannot 
J»ave  such  an  evidence  of  them  as  shall  have  the  prop- 


Ver.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  lift 

erties  of  the  (eheyxo^)  demonstration  here  intended; 
it  will  not  reprove  and  silence  the  objections  and  soph- 
isms of  unbelief  against  them;  it  will  not  influence  our 
souls  to  a  patient  continuance  in  well  doing.  Now 
faith  is  not  the  evidence  and  demonstration  of  these 
things  to  all,  which  the  scripture  alone  is,  but  only  to 
believers.  They  have  this  evidence  of  them  in  them- 
selves; for, 

( 1 .)  Faith  is  that  gracious  power  of  the  mind,  where- 
by it  firmly  assents  to  divine  revelations,  upon  the 
sole  authority  of  God  the  revealer,  as  the  first  essen- 
tial truth,  and  fountain  of  all  truth. 

(2.)  It  is  by  faith  that  all  objections  against  them,  their 
being  and  reality,  are  answered  and  refuted;  which  is 
required  to  {eK£yxoQ)aconvincin'g  demonstration.  Many 
such  there  are,  over  all  which  faith  is  victorious,  Ephes. 
vi,  16.  All  the  temptations  of  Satan,  especially  such  as 
are  called  his  '■'fiery  daiis,''''  consist  in  objections  against 
invisible  things;  either  as  to  their  being,  or  as  to  our 
interest  in  them.  All  the  actings  of  unbelief  m  us  are 
to  the  same  purpose;  to  reprove  and  silence  them  is 
the  work  of  faith  alone;  and  it  is  such  a  work  as 
without  which  we  cannot  maintain  our  spiritual  life, 
neither  its  power  within  or  its  fruitful  and  consistent 
profession  without. 

(3.)  Faith  brings  into  the  soul  an  experience  of 
their  power  and  efficacy,  whereby  it  is  cast  into  the 
mould  of  them,  or  made  conformable  to  them,  Rom. 
vi,  17;  Ephes.  iv,  21 — 23.  This  gives  an  assurance 
to  the  mind,  though  not  of  the  same  nature,  yet  more 
excellent  than  that  of  any  scientific  demonstration. 

§8.  Obs.  Faith,  in  its  being  thus  the  '•^evidence  of 
things  not  seen,"  is  the  great  means  of  preserving  be- 
lievers in  a  constant,  patient  profession  of  the  gospel 
against  all  opposition,  and  under  the  fiercest  persecu? 


120  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

tions;  which  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  what  the  apostle 
aims  at  to  demonstrate:  for, 

(1.)  It  plainly  discovers  that  the  worst  of  what  we 
can  undergo  in  this  world  for  the  profession  of  the 
gospel,  bears  no  proportion  to  the  excellency  and  glo- 
ry of  those  invisible  things,  in  which,  as  Christians, 
we  are  interested. 

(2.)  It  brings  in  such  it  present  sense  of  their  good- 
ness, power,  and  efficacy,  that  not  only  relieves  and 
refresheth  the  soul  under  all  its  sufferings,  but  makes 
it  joyful  in  them  and  victorious  over  them. 

(3.)  It  gives  an  assurance  hereby  of  the  greatness 
and  glory  of  the  eternal  reward,  which  is  the  greatest 
encouragement  to  constancy  in  believing,  1  Pet.  iv, 
12,  13. 

§9.  Obs.  It  is  faith  alone,  that  takes  believers  out 
of  this  world  whilst  they  are  in  it,  that  exalts  them 
above  it  whilst  they  are  under  its  rage;  that  enables 
them  to  live  upon  things  future  and  invisible,  giving 
such  a  real  subsistence  to  their  power,  and  victorious 
evidence  of  their  reality  and  truth,  in  themselves,  as 
secures  them  from  fainting  under  all  oppositions, 
temptations,  and  persecutions  whatever. 

VERSE  2. 
For  by  it  the  elders  obtained  a  good  rejiort. 

§1.  Connexion  of  the  words.    §2.  The  elders,  who.    §3.  The  testimony  given 
them.    §4.  Obtained  by  faith.    §5.  Observations. 

§1.  X  HE  efficacy  of  this  faith  the  apostle  now  pro- 
ceeds to  prove  by  the  signal  and  illustrious  effects  it 
hath  had  in  those  of  old  who  were  the  subjects  of  it. 
"For  by  it  the  elders,"  &c.  The  conjunctive  particle 
{yap)  for,  introduces  a  proof,  by  way  of  instance,  of 
what  was  before  asserted;  as  if  the  apostle  had  said, 


Veh.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  121 

*'The  nature  and  efficacy  of  faith  is  such  as  I  have 
described; /or  by  it  the  elders,^^  &c.  This  they  could 
no  way  have  done,  but  by  that  faith  whereof  these 
are  the  properties.  Note,  instances,  or  examples,  are 
the  most  powerful  confirmations  of  practical  truths. 

§2.  Who  these  (ispsa^vlepoi)  elders  were,  is  put  be- 
yond all  dispute  by  the  ensuing  discourse.  All  true 
believers  from  the  foundation  of  the  uorld,  or  the 
giving  of  the  first  promise,  to  the  end  of  the  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament,  are  intended;  for  in  all 
sorts  of  them  he  giveth  particular  instances,  from  Abel 
to  those  who  suffered   the  last  persecution  that   the 

Jewish  church  underwent  for  religion,  ver.  36 38. 

What  befell  them  afterwards  was  judgment  and  pun- 
ishment for  sin,  not  persecution  for  religion:  all  these, 
by  one  general  name,  he  calleth  "the  elders."  Thus 
was  it  constantly  with  all  believers,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world  called  the  elders,  as  having  lived 
before  us  in  ancient  times. 

§3.  (E/xap7upv;6ii(7av)  testimony  ivas  given  to  them  in 
the  scripture;  to  many  of  them  in  particular,  and  to 
the  rest  in  the  general  rules  of  it.  It  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  scripture,  who  gives  them  that  good  testi- 
mony, and  to  whom  the  apostle  appeals  for  the  proof 
of  his  assertion.  From  the  "xorld  things  were  other- 
wise with  them,  none  so  defamed,  so  reproached,  so 
reviled  as  they.  If  they  had  received  such  a  good  re- 
port in  the  world,  their  examjile  would  not  have  been 
of  use  to  the  apostle's  design;  f(S^  he  applies  it  to  them 
who  were  made  a  "gazing-stock,  both  by  reproaches 
and  afflictions,"  chap,  x,  33,  34;  as  it  had  been  with 
many  of  them  who  yet  obtained  this  testimony. 
"They  had  trials  of  cruel  mockings,"  &c.  ver.  36,  37. 
Note,  They,  who  have  a  good  testimony  from  God, 
shall  never  want  reproaches  from  the  world. 


122  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  If; 

§4.  What  was  so  testified  of  them  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  is,  that  they  pleased  God,  or  were  accepted  with 
him,  and  constituted  righteous,  ver.  4 — 6,  &c.  (ev  ctvl\j) 
by  it,  thQir  faith;  through  their  believing  they  "obtain- 
ed this  report."  Many  great  and  excellent  things, 
some  heroic  actions.^  some  deep  sufferings,  are  ascribed 
to  them;  but  their  obtaining  this  testimony  is  assigned 
to  faith  alone;  for  those  were  fruits  of  their  faith,  and 
their  acceptance  with  God  depended  thereon. 

§5.  Hence  we  may  observe, 

1.  It  \s  faith  alone,  which  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  (or  from  the  giving  of  the  first  promise)  was 
the  means  and  way  of  obtaining  acceptance  with  God. 
There  hath  been  great  variety  as  to  the  revealed  objects 
of  this  faith,  but  the  faith  itself  is  of  the  same  nature 
and  kind  in  all  from  first  to  last;  and  all  the  promises 
of  God,  as  branches  of  the  first  promise,  are  in  general 
the  formal  object  of  it;  that  is,  Christ  in  them,  without 
faith  in  whom  none  have  found  acceptance  with  God, 

2.  The  faith  of  true  believers,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  was  fixed  on  things  future,  hoped  for,  and 
invisible;  that  is,  eternal  life  and  glory  in  an  especial 
manner:  that  was  the  faith  whereby  they  "obtained  a 
good  report,"  as  the  apostle  here  testifies.  So  vain  is 
the  imagination  of  them  who  affirm,  that  all  the 
promises  under  the  Old  Testament  respected  only 
things  temporal;  so  making  the  whole  church  to  have 
been  Sadducees:  the  contrary  is  here  expressly  af- 
firmed. 

3.  That  faith  whereby  men  please  God,  acts  itself 
in  a  fixed  contemplation  of  things  future  and  invisible, 
from  whence  it  derives  encouragement  and  strength  to 
abide  firm  in  their  profession,  and  endure  to  the  end, 
against  all  oppositions.     To  which  we  may  add, 

4.  That  however  men  may  be  despised,  vilified,  and 


Ver.  3.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  123 

reproached  in  the  world,  yet  if  they  are  true  believers; 
they  are  accepted  with  God,  and  he  will  give  them  a 
good  report. 

Verse  3. 

Through  faith  we  understand  that  the  worlds  were  framed  by  the 
word  of  God,  so  that  things  which  are  seen  were  not  made  cf 
things  which  do  afi/iear. 

jl.  Connexion  and  desiga.  §2.  Faith,  when  spoken  of  as  the  instrumental  causey 
includes  its  object.  Is  superior,  and  sometimes  contrary,  to  the  boasted  princi- 
ples of  leason;  and  give  a  clear  understanding  of  facts  in  their  true  causes.  §3| 
4.  The  making  of  the  worlds,  how  aa  object  of  faith.    §S.  Observations. 

§1 .  X  HE  apostle  now  enters  on  the  confirmation  and 
exemplification  of  his  proposition  by  instances;  first, 
from  an  especial  object  of  faith,  and  then  proceeds  to 
the  actings  of  it  in  believers.  In  this  first  instance  of 
the  power  and  efficacy  of  faith,  the  apostle  hath  respect 
to  the  second  clause  of  his  general  description  of  it,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen;  for  although  this  world, 
and  the  things  contained  in  it,  are  visible,  and  are  here 
said  to  be  seen,  yet  the  original  framing  and  making 
of  them  hath  a  principal  place  among  things  not  seen. 
And  to  prove  that  faith  hath  a  respect  to  unseen 
things,  as  unseen,  he  gives  an  instance  in  that  which 
was  so  long  past  as  the  creation  of  the  world;  all  his 
other  instances  declare  its  efficacy  in  the  prospect  of 
unseen  things  that  arefuture. 

§2.  '^By  faith  we  understand."  Where  faith  is 
spoken  of  as  the  instrumental  cause  of  any  thing,  it 
always  includes  its  object  as  the  principal  cause  of  the 
same  things.  So  where  it  is  said,  that  we  are  "justi- 
fied by  faithf^  it  includes  Christ  and  his  righteousness 
as  the  principal  cause  of  our  justification;  faith  being 
only  the  instiument  whereby  we  apprehend  it:  and 
here,  where  it  is  said,  that  "by  faith"  we  understand 

VOL.  IV.  16 


124  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

that  the  worlds  were  framed,  it  necessarily  includes 
its  object,  the  divine  revelation  that  is  made  thereof  in 
the  word  of  God;  for  there  is  no  other  way  for  faith 
to  ojive  us  an  understandino;  of  it. 

The  apostle  here  lays  a  good  foundation  of  all  his 
following  assertions;  for  if  by  faith  we  are  assured  of 
the  creation  of  the  world  out  of  nothing,  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  most  received  principle  of  natural  reason, 
(ex  nihilo  nihil  jit)  nothing  comes  of  nothing,  it  will 
bear  us  out  in  the  belief  of  other  things  that  seem  im- 
possible to  reason,  if  so  be  they  are  incontestabiy  re- 
vealed. In  particular,  faith  well  fixed  on  the  original 
of  all  things  as  made  out  of  nothing,  will  bear  us  out 
in  the  belief  of  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies,  which 
the  apostle  takes  notice  of  with  respect  to  some  of  his 
worthies. 

"By  faith  we  understand ;^^  that  is,  by  faith  we  not 
only  assent  to  the  divine  revelation  of  it,  but  also  come 
to  have  a  due  comprehension  of  it  in  its  causes,  so  as 
that  we  may  be  said  to  understand  it:  wherefore  "un- 
derstanding" here  is  not  opposed  only  to  an  utter  ig- 
norance, but  also  to  that  dark  and  confused  appre- 
hension of  the  creation  of  the  world,  which  some  by 
the  light  of  reason  attained  to. 

§3.  (T«g  uimug  y.ulviplia^ai)  that  the  worlds  were 
framed.  The  word  always  denotes  the  ordering,  dis- 
posing, fitting,  perfecting,  or  adorning  of  what  is  pro- 
duced; the  reducing  of  all  created  things  into  that 
beautiful  order  which  we  behold;  and  the  apostle  hath 
an  especial  respect  to  the  things  that  are  seen,  as  they 
are  orderly, beautiful,  and  glorious,  settingforth  theglory 
of  their  Maker,'Psal.  viii,  2, 3;  xix,  i,  2;  Rom.  i,  21:  so  it 
is  said,  that  "God  by  his  Spmt garnished  the  heavens,'^ 
Job  xxvi,  13;  that  is,  cast  them  into  that  curious,  glo- 
rious frame  wliich  we  behold;  and  the  apostle  hath  in 


Ver.  S.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  125 

this  word  respect  to  Gen.  ii,  1,  C»^3'»'»)  "The  heavens 
and  the  earth,  and  all  the  host  of  them  were,  finis hed^'^ 
perfected,  and  completely  framed. 

{Pv,[j.cili  Qea)  by  the  word  of  God;  the  ineffable  facil- 
ity of  almighty  power;  he  spake  the  word,  and  it  was 
made;  he  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.  And  surely 
it  is  alike  easy  unto  him  to  dispose  of  all  things  that 
are  made;  and  so  faith,  as  to  the  disposal  of  all  things 
by  divine  Providence,  in  times  of  great  difficulties,  and 
inseparable  obstacles,  is  secured  by  the  consideration 
of  the  easy  production  of  all  things  out  of  nothing  by 
the  same  power;  how  easy  is  it  with  God  to  help,  re- 
lieve, and  deliver  them  by  changing,  if  necessary,  the 
nature  of  all  these  things  at  his  pleasure,  who  by  his 
word,  through  an  almighty  facility,  erected  and  per- 
fected the  worlds!  And  this  consideration  doth  God 
himself  frequently  propose  for  the  confirmation  of  the 
faith  of  the  church,  in  all  her  troubles,  Isa.  xl,  28;  xliv, 
24;  xlv,  12;  li,  13. 

4.  "So  the  things  which  are  seen,  were  not  made 
of  things  which  do  appear;" — {Ta  /5Af7ro(xev«)  things 
which  are  seen;  which  are  the  objects  of  our  senses, 
and  our  reason  working  by  them;  these  aspectable 
heavenSy  with  all  their  glorious  luminaries;  the  earth, 
with  all  its  furniture  and  ornaments;  the  sea,  with  all  its 
fulness;  their  greatness, their  glory, their  order, and  their 
use,  with  which  the  minds  of  men  ought  to  be  affected. 

Of  these  things  it  is  affirmed,  that  they  were  not 
made  (fvt  (paivo(x.evov)  ofthing»  that  do  appear;  which 
seems  to  be  a  negation  of  any  pre-existing  natural 
cause;  the  word  {0ccivoi/.evu)  imports,  things  that  ap- 
pear clearly,  illustriously,  in  their  shape  and  order. 
The  understanding  of  this  we  have  by  faith  alone 
from  divine  revelation;  for  nothing  of  the  order  of  ere-' 
ating,  can  be  known  or  understood  any  other  way: 


X2§  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

and  this  the  apostle  intimates  in  the  particles,  (eig  to, 
i.  e.  (aale)  SO  that;  by  faith  alone  we  understand  that 
the  worlds  were  made,  so  as  "that  the  things  which 
are  seen  were  not  made  of  things  that  appear." 
§5.  Hence  we  may  observe, 

1.  Those  who  firmly  assent  to  divine  revelation* 
understand  the  creation  of  the  world  as  to  its  truth, 
season,  cause,  manner,  and  end;  it  was  never  deter- 
mined among  the  ancient  sages  of  the  world,  the  pre- 
tended priests  of  the  mysteries  of  reason;  some  said 
one  thing,  and  some  another;  some  said  it  had  a  be- 
ginning, some  said  it  had  none,  and  some  assigned  it 
such  a  beginning,  as  it  had  better  never  had  any; 
nothing  but  an  assent  to  divine  revelation  can  give  us 
a  clear  understanding  of  it.     And, 

2.  Then  doth  faith  put  forth  its  power  in  our  minds 
in  a  due  manner,  when  it  gives  us  clear  and  distinct 
apprehensions  of  the  things  believed;  faith  that  gives 
not  understanding  is  but  fancy. 

3.  As  God's  first  work  was  perfect,  so  all  his  works 
shall  be;  he  undertakes  nothing,  but  what  he  will  fin- 
ish and  complete  in  beauty  and  order;  and  not  only 
the  original  production  of  all  things  out  of  nothing, 
but  also  the  framing  of  them  into  their  present  order, 
is  a  demonstration  of  this  eternal  power  of  God. 

4.  The  aids  of  reason,  with  the  due  consideration 
of  the  nature,  use,  and  end  of  ail  things,  ought  to  be 
admitted  for  confirming  our  minds  in  the  persuasion 
of  the  original  creation  of  all  things;  yet  they  are  not 
to  be  rested  in,  but  we  must  betake  ourselves  to  faith 
fixed  on  divine  revelation;  for  if  they  are  alone,  they 
will  be  shaken  with  a  contrary  maxim,  (ex  nihilo  ni- 
hil ft)  of  nothing  nothing  comes;  and  they  can  give 
us  no  light  into  the  way  and  manner  of  the  creation 
pf  all  things,  which  faith  discovers. 


Ver.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  127 


VERSE  4. 

By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than 
CaiJh  by  which  he  obtained  witness  that  he  was  righteous^  God 
testifying  of  his  gifts;  and  by  it  he  being  dead  yet  s/ieaketh. 

§1,  Connexion.      §2,3.  (I.)  Exposition.    §4.  Abel's  sacrifice  better  than  Cain's, 
js.  The  tesdmony  given  it.     §6.  How  he  yet  speaketh.     §7,  8.  (11.)  Obser- 


§1.  From  the  nature  of  faith  in  general,  and  its  effi- 
cacy  with  respect  to  things  believed,  the  apostle  pro- 
ceeds to  give  instances  of  its  power  and  efficacy  in 
particular  ji^^^ons,  whose  example  in  believing  he 
proposeth  to  the  Hebrews  for  their  encouragement; 
and  he  begins  with  Abel;  the  first  whose  faith  is  ex- 
pressly recorded,  and  the  first  that  suffered  in  the  cause 
of  Christ,  by  shedding  his  blood,  which  the  Hebrews 
had  not  yet  experienced;  wherefore  on  all  accounts 
this  was  the  meetest  instance  to  begin  with. 

§2.  (I.)  "By  faith  J6e/,"  who  without  example, 
without  any  outward  encouragement,  without  any 
witness  of  his  sufferings  to  transmit  them  to  others,  but 
God  alone,  was  the  first  in  the  world  that  suffered 
death  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  his  worship,  and  that 
even  from  his  oxt'ri  brother,  who  joined  with  him  in 
the  outward  acts  of  divine  worship;  which  is  an  ex- 
ample of  the  two  churches,  the  suffering,  and  the 
persecuting  to  the  end  of  the  world;  and  this  hath 
made  him  famous  in  all  generations;  which,  as  Chry- 
sostom  thinks,  is  intended  in  the  close  of  the  words, 
(ell  KuKeilui)  he  is  yet  spoken  of,  that  is,  with  fame  and 
renown.  Note,  Every  circumstance  in  suffering  shall 
add  to  the  glory  of  the  sufferer;  and  those  who  suffer 
here  for  Christ  'without  rwitness,  as  many  have  done  to 
death  in  prisons  and  dungeons,  hav^  yet  an  all-seeing 
Witness  to  give  them  testimony  in  due  season.     "The 


128  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

righteous  shall  be  had  in  everlasting  remembrance;" 
and  nothing  that  is  done  or  suffered  for  God  shall  be 
lost  for  ever. 

§3.  "By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God."  The  origi- 
nal account  is  more  particular;  (Gen.  iv,  3 — 5;  Q>»'>n 
VpO)  after  the  expiration  of  some  time,  or  days;  after 
he  and  Cain  were  settled  in  their  distinct  callings,  (ver. 
3;)  they  had  been  until  then  under  the  instruction  of 
their  parents;  but  now  being  fixed  in  their  own  peculi- 
ar stations  and  callings,  they  made  their  distinct  sol- 
emn profession  of  the  worship  of  God;  which  is  the 
sense  of  the  place,  though  not  observed  by  expositors. 
The  matter  of  his  offering  was  the  firstlings  of  his 
flock,  and  of  the  fat  thereof,  it  was  of  living  creatures, 
and  therefore  was  made  by  mactation,  or  the  shedding 
of  blood;  whence  the  apostle  calls  it  (^vjict)  a  sacri- 
fice by  mactation; — it  was  of  the  best;  it  was  an  holo- 
caust, wherein  after  the  blood  was  shed  on  the  altar, 
and  offered  unto  God,  thefat  was  burned  on  the  altar, 
and  the  whole  body  at  a  distance  from  it;  therefore 
it  appears,  that  Abel's  was,  as  to  the  matter  of  it,  both 
in  itself,  and  in  God's  esteem,  of  the  most  precious  and 
valuable  things  in  the  whole  creation,  subject  to  man 
and  his  use;  and  even  hence  it  may  be  called  (xTie/ova 
^vaid  %ccpa,  Kaiv)  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  that  of 
Cain,  which  was  only  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground  that 
might  be  gathered  (raptim)  without  choice  of  what 
was  most  meet  to  be  offered. 

And  he  offered  this  sacrifice  unto  God,  {ruQsc^,  nMT>7 
ver.  3;)  this  was,  from  the  first  institution  of  it,  the 
highest  and  most  peculiar  way  of  paying  homage  to 
the  Divine  Being;  for  to  whomsoever  sacrifice  is  offer- 
ed, he  is  owned  as  God;  and  therefore  when  the  Gen- 
tiles sacrificed  to  the  devils,  as  they  did,  1  Cor.  x,  20, 


Ver.  4.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  129 

they  owned  him  thereby  as  the  "God  of  the  world" 
2  Cor.  iv,  4. 

He  offered  it  [vichi)  by  faith.  Now  faith  herein  re- 
spects;— the  institution  of  the  worship;  and — the  heart 
or  mind  of  the  worshippers.  He  did  it  by  faith,  be- 
cause he  had  respect  in  what  he  did  to  God's  institu- 
tion, which  consists  of  a  command  and  a  promise; 
had  he  himself  invented  the  service  he  could  not  have 
performed  it  m  faith,  which  in  its  very  nature  respects 
a  divine  command  and  a  promise;  again,  he  did  it  in 
faith,  and  that  he  did  it  in  the  exercise  of  saving  faith 
in  God;  for  he  did  it  not  hypocritically,  nor  in  a  mere 
attendance  to  the  outward  duty;  but  it  was  kindled 
in  his  own  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  before  it  was 
fired  on  the  altar  from  heaven. 

§4.  "A  better  sacrifice  than  Cain;"  a  choicer,  a  more 
excellent  ssLCilfice  {Tupa  Koilv)  than  Cai?z;  we  observed 
before,  that  as  to  the  matter  of  it,  it  was  better,  more 
valuable  and  precious  than  that  of  Cain;  but  this  is  not 
a  sufficient  cause  of  ascribing  such  an  excellency  and 
preference  to  it,  as  that,  on  account  of  it,  Abel  should 
obtain  such  acceptance  with  God,  and  receive  a  testi- 
mony from  him;  besides,  the  design  of  the  apostle  is  to 
declare  the  efficacy  and  prevalency  of  fat^h,  and  not 
of  any  special  kind  o{  sacrifices)  wherefore,  (5i  vi;)  for 
which,  or  whereby,  in  the  next  words,  is  to  be  refer- 
red to  (7r/(7l£i)^a27/t,  and  not  to  (6u(7/«v)  sacrifice;  this 
difference  therefore  was  from  h\s  faith;  and  two  things 
depended  thereon; — that  his  jjcr50>i  was  justified  in  the 
sight  of  God  antecedently  to  his  sacrifice;  and. — that 
on  account  thereof  his  sacrifice  was  acceptable,  as  is 
commonly  observed  from  the  order  of  the  words;  *'the 
Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel  and  his  offering;'^  but 
yet  it  is  not  so  evident  where  the  great  difference  lay; 
for  Cain  also,  no  doubt,  brought  his  offering  \v\  faith; 


ISO  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

for  he  believed  the  being  of  God,  his  omnipotent  pow^ 
er  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  as  also  his  government 
of  it  with  rewards  and  punishments;  for  all  this  .  he 
professed  in  the  sacred  offering  that  he  brought  unto 
the  Lord;  wherefore  it  is  certain  that  the  faith  of  Abel 
and  Cain  differed — in  their  objects,  and — in  their 
special  nature  and  acts. 

1 .  Cain  considered  God  only  as  a  creator  and  pre- 
server, whereon  he  offered  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  as  an 
acknowledgment  that  all  these  things  were  made,  pre- 
served, and  bestowed  on  man  by  him;  but  he  had  no 
regard  to  sin,  or  the  way  of  deliverance  from  it  reveal- 
ed in  the  first  promise;  but  the  faith  of  Abel  was  fixed 
on  God,  not  only  as  a  creator,  but  as  a  redeemer  also; 
as  he  who,  in  infinite  wisdom  and  grace,  had  appoint- 
ed the  way  of  redemption  by  sacrifice  and  atonement 
intimated  in  the  first  promise;  wherefore,  his  faith  was 
accompanied  with  a  sense  of  sin  and  guilt,  with  his 
lost  condition  by  the  fall,  and  a  trust  in  the  way  of 
redemption  and  recovery  which  God  had  provided; 
which  he  testified  in  the  kind  of  his  sacrifice,  v/hich 
was  by  death  and  blood;  in  the  one,  owning  the  death 
which  he  himself  by  reason  of  sin  was  obnoxious  to; 
and  in  the  other,  the  way  of  atonement,  which  was  to 
be  blood — the  blood  of  the  promised  seed. 

2.  They  differed  in  their  special  nature  and  ads; 
for  the  faith  of  Abel  was  saving,  justifying,  a  princi- 
ple of  holy  obedience,  an  effect  o  f  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
his  mind  and  heart;  but  that  of  Cain  was  a  naked 
barren  assent  to  the  truths  before  mentioned,  which  is 
usually  described  uncer  the  name  of  a  common  and 
temporary  faith;  which  is  evident  from  the  event,  in  • 
that  God  never  accepted  his  person,  nor  his  offering. 

And  these  are  the  things  that  still  make  the  hidden 
difference  between  the  professors  of  the  same  faith  and 


Ver.  4.         EPISTLE   TO  THE  HEBREWS.  isi 

worship  in  general,  whereof  God  alone  is  the  judge, 
approving  some  and  rejecting  others;  so  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world  the  church  was  signally  warned, 
that  the  mere  performance  of  the  outward  duties  of  di- 
vine worship  is  not  the  rule  of  the  acceptance  of  men's 
persons  with  God;  but  a  distinction  is  made  from  the 
inward  principle  whence  those  duties  proceed;  yet  the 
world  will  not  receive  a  warning  to  this  very  day. 
Nothing  is  an  higher  provocation  to  carnal  minds, 
than  that  the  same  duties  should  be  accepted  in  some 
and  rejected  in  others,  only  because  the, persons  of  the 
one,  and  not  of  the  other,  are  accepted.  Many  have 
no  greater  quarrel  at  religion,  than  that  God  had  re- 
spect to  Abel  and  his  offerings,  and  not  to  Cain  and  his. 
§5.  The  first  consequent  of  this  faith  in  Abel  is,  that 
(J/  v[(;)  by  ivhich;  that  is,  by  which  faith,  {iixaplvp/M) 
he  teas  test  if  ed  unto;  he  obtained  witness;  even  from 
God  himself.  And  this  was  so  famous  in  the  church, 
that  he  seems  to  be  commonly  called  by  that  name^ 
*7/ie righteous  Abel"  Mat.  xxiii,  35.  A  testimony  is 
virtually  contained;  "God  (saith  he)  testifying  of  his 
gifts;"  referring  to  these  words  in  Moses,  "The  Lord  had 
respect  unto  Abel  and  his  offering;"  he  testifed,  m  the 
approbation  of  his  offering,  that  he  had  respect  to  his 
person;  that  is,  he  judged,  esteemed,  and  accounted 
him  righteous;  for  otherwise  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons;  whomsoever  God  accepts,  or  respects,  he 
testifieth  him  to  be  righteous,  that  is,  to  be  justified  and 
freely  accepted  with  him:  this  Abel  was  by  faith  ante- 
cedently to  his  offering;  for  he  was  not  made  right- 
eous, he  was  not  justified,  by  his  sacrifce;  but  there- 
in "shewed  his  faith  by  his  works;"  and  God  by  ac- 
cepting his  works  of  obedience,  justified  him  (as  he  did 
Abraham)  by  works  declaratively;  he  declared  hint 
to  be  so,  by  giving  testimony  to  his  gifts. 

VOL.  IV.  17 


132  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IL 

By  what  way  God  gave  this  testimony  is  not  ex- 
pressed; mcst  suppose  that  it  was  by  causing  ^^/'e  to  fall 
from  heaven  to  kindle  and  consume  his  sacrifice  on  the 
altar;  certain  it  is,  that  it  was  by  some  assured  token 
and  pledge,  whereby  his  own  faith  was  strengthened, 
and  Cain  provoked;  for  God  did  that  with  respect  to 
him  and  his  offering,  which  he  did  not  towards  Cain 
and  his;  whereby  both  of  them  knew  how  things  stood 
between  God  and  them.  As  Esau  knew  that  Jacob 
had  gotten  the  blessing,  which  made  him  resolve  to  kill 
him;  so  Cain  knew  that  Abel  and  his  offering  were 
accepted  with  God,  whereon  he  actually  slew  him. 
And  here  we  have  the  prototype  of  the  believing  and 
persecuting  church  in  all  ages;  of  them  that  are  born 
after  the  Spint,  and  those  that  are  born  after  the  flesh 
only.  Then  that  began  which  the  apostle  affirms  still 
to  continue;  -^He  that  was  born  after  the  flesh  perscu- 
ted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit;  even  so  it  is 
now,"  Gal.  iv,  29.  This  was  the  first  visible  acting  of 
the  enmity  between  the  seed  of  the  woman,  and  the 
seed  of  the  serpent;  for  "Cain  was  of  the  wicked  one, 
(the  seed  of  the  serpent)  and  slew  his  brother,"  1  John 
iii,  12;  and  it  was  a  pledge  and  a  representation  of  the 
death  of  Christ  himself  from  the  same  principle. 

§6.  And  fy}i  uvl^g)  by  it  (faith)  he  being  dead  yet 
speaketh;  the  original  w^ord  {KuKsTryA)  being  o(si  mid- 
dle form,  may  be  rendered  either  lie  speaketh,  or  he 
is  spoken  of  and  accordingly  is  variously  interpreted; 
for  some  take  it  for  the  good  fame  that  Abel  had  in  all 
generations;  but  it  is  not  according  to  the  mind  of  the 
apostle;  for  it  is  evident  that  he  ascribes  something  pe- 
culiar to  Abel,  wherein  others  were  not  to  be  joined 
with  him,  but  this  of  a  good  report  is  not  so;  but  com- 
mon to  him  with  Noah,  Abraham,  and  all  the  patriarchs; 
they  were  spoken  of,  and  their  praise  celebrated  in  the 


Ver.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  138 

church,  no  less  than  Abel,  The  apostle  plainly  pro- 
ceeds in  representing  the  story  concerning  him,  and 
what  fell  out  after  his  death,  as  expressed  by  God  him- 
self; Gen.  iv,  10,  "The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood 
crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground;"  this  is  the  speaking 
of  Abel  after  his  death,  which  is  here  intended,  and 
this  wsLS  peculiar  to  him;  it  is  not  affirmed  of  any  one 
besides  in  scripture.  Besides,  the  apostle  interprets 
himself,  Heb.  xii,  24;  where  he  directly  ascribes  this 
speaking  to  the  ^'blood  of  Abel."  And  from  this  first 
instance,  the  apostle  hath  mightily  confirmed  his  in- 
tention concerning  the  power  and  efficacy  of  faith,  en- 
abling men,  with  blessed  success,  to  do  and  suffer  ac- 
cording to  the  mind  of  God;  and  this  example  was  of 
great  force  to  convince  the  Hebrews,  that  if,  indeed, 
they  were  true  believers,  as  he  supposed  th  em  to  be, 
Heb.  X,  39,  faith  would  safely  cany  them  through  all 
the  difficulties  they  had  to  conflict  with  in  their  pro- 
fession, to  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  own  eternal  sal- 
vation. 

§7.  (H.)     Hence  we  may  learn, 

1.  We  are  to  serve  God  with  the  best  we  have; 
the  best  in  our  power;  with  the  best  of  our  spiritual 
abilities. 

2.  God  approves  not  our  duties,  but  where  the  prin- 
ciple o(  a.  living  faith  goes  previousl}^  in  their  perform- 
ance. 

3.  Our  persons  must  be  first  justified,  before  our 
works  of  obedience  can  be  accepted  with  God;  for  by 
that  acceptance  he  testifies  that  we  are  righteous. 

4.  Those  whom  God  approves,  must  expect  that  the 
world  will  disapprove  of  them,  and  ruin  them  if  it  can. 

5.  When  tiiere  is  difference  in  the  hearts  of  men,  on 
account  of  faith,  there  will,  for  the  most  part,  be  una- 
voidable differences  about  outward  worship. 


|34  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  II. 

6.  God's  approbation  is  an  abundant  recompence 
for  the  loss  of  our  very  lives. 

§8.  1.  There  is  a  voice  in  all  innocent  blood  shed  by 
violence;  for  there  is  an  appeal  in  it  from  the  injustice 
and  cruelty  of  men,  to  God  the  righteous  judge  of  all; 
and,  of  all  cries,  God  gives  the  most  open  evidence  that 
he  hears  it,  and  admits  of  the  appeal.  Hence  most 
murders  committed  secretly  are  discovered,  and  most 
of  those  that  are  openly  perpetrated,  are,  sooner  or  la- 
ter, openly  revenged  by  God  himself;  for  his  honor 
and  glory  are  concerned  to  appear  on  the  appeal  made 
to  his  justice  by  innocent  blood.  Wherefore  this  voice, 
this  .speaA:i«^  of  blood,  ariseth  from  the  eternal  law 
which  God  hath  given  mankind  for  the  preservation 
of  life  from  violence,  the  supreme  conservation  and 
guaranty  of  which  he  hath  taken  on  himself.  Gen.  ix, 
5,  6;  to  which  we  may  add, 

2.  Whatever  troubles/m^/i  may  bring  us  to,  in  the 
profession  of  it,  with  obedience  according  to  the  mind 
of  God,  it  will  at  last  bring  us  safely  out  of  them  all, 
(yea,  though  we  should  die  in  the  cause)  to  our  eter- 
nal salvation  and  honor, 

VERSE  5. 
J^y  faith  Enoch  ivas  translated^  that  he  should  not  see  death.,  and 
luas  not  found,  because  God  had  translated  him;  for  before  his 
translation^  he  had  this  testimony,  that  he  fileased  God. 

§1.  IntroJ action-  §2.  (I.)  Exposition.  Enoch  translated  by  faitli.  §3  His  not 
seeing  death  §4  His  not  being  found.  ^5.  Because  God  took  him.  §6, 
Why  ascribed  to  faith.  §7.  Probable  conjectures.  ^S.  How  witnessed  to  be- 
fpre  his  translation.     §9.  (II.)  Observations. 

§1.  xlis  second  instance  is  Enoch;  for  he  is  the 
second  man  to  whom  testimony  is  personally  and  pe- 
culiarly given  that  he  pleased  God,  and  was  accepted 
with  him.  This  venerable  patriarch  was  not  only  emi- 
nent for  faith  and  holiness,  Gen.  v,  22,  24;  but  also 


Ver.  5.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  135 

for  what  \\t  prophesied,  Jude,  ver.  14, 15.  It  is  prob- 
able that  all  the  holy  fathers  before  the  flood  were 
prophets  and  preachers,  2  Pet.  ii,  b;  in  whose  ministry 
the  Spirit  of  God  stro-cc  with  men,  which  at  the  flood 
he  put  an  end  to,  Gen.  vi,  3.  Yea,  Christ  by  his  Spirit, 
which  was  in  his  servants,  1  Pet.  i,  11,  preached  re- 
pentance to  tliem,  before  they  were  cast  into  their 
eternal  prison  ,  1  Pet  iii,  19;  and  these  seem  to  have 
had  a  different  ministry  for  the  declaration  of  the 
whole  counsel  of  God.  Noah  was  a  "preacher  of 
righteousness,^^  one  who  eminently  proposed  the  right- 
eousness of  God  through  tlie  promise,  to  encourage 
men  to  faith  and  repentance;  he  was,  as  we  may  say, 
emphatically  a  gospel  preacher.  And  Enoch  preach- 
ed the  ''threatening s  of  the  law,"  the  future  judgment, 
with  the  vengeance  that  would  be  taken  on  ungodly 
sinners,  especially  scoffers  and  persecutors,  which  is 
the  substance  of  his  prophecy  or  sermon  recorded  in 
the  epistle  of  Jude. 

§2.  (I.)  "By  faith  Enoch  was  translated,"  ((xflfisSvi) 
translated  out  of  one  state  and  condition  into  another. 
There  are  but  two  states  of  good  men,  such  as  Enoch 
was,  from  first  to  last: 

1.  The  state  0^  faith  and  obedience  in  this  world, 
where  Enoch  lived  three  hundred  years,  and  walked 
with  God.  To  "walk  with  God,"  is  to  lead  the  life  of 
faith  in  covenant  obedience  to  him  (■i'?rin''T)  and  he 
walked;  the  same  word  whereby  God  prescribeth  cov- 
enant obedience  to  Abraham,  fJisS  iSnnn)  Gen.  xvii, 
1.  The  word  in  both  places,  in  the  same  conjugation 
Hithpael,  signifies  a  continued  walk  up  and  down,  ev- 
ery way;  and  so  to  walk  with  God  is,  in  all  our  ways, 
actions,  and  duties,  to  have  a  continual  regard  to  God, 
\)y  faith  in  his  word,  dcpendance  on  his  grace,  and 
submission  to  his  will. 


136  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  II. 

2.  The  state  of  blessedness  in  the  enjoyment  of 
God.  No  other  state  of  good  men  is  once  intimated 
in  scripture,  or  consistent  with  God's  covenant;  where- 
fore Enoch  being  iranslaied  from  the  one,  was  imme- 
diately instated  in  the  other,  as  Elijah  afterwards;  his 
body  was  made  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  incorrupt,  spiritual,  immortal,  meet  for  the  blessed 
habitation  above.  If  any  should  ask  why  was  Enoch 
not  joined  with  Elijah,  (who  was  afterwards  in  like 
manner  translated)  at  his  appearance  with  the  Lord 
Christ,  in  his  transfiguration,  rather  than  Moses  who 
died?  Matt,  xvii,  3.  I  would  answer,  it  seems  agree- 
able to  the  mind  of  God,  that — the  discourse  which 
they  then  had  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  being  about 
the  accomplishment  "of  the  law  in  his  death" — Moses, 
who  was  the  lawgiver,  and  Elijah,  the  most  zealous 
defender  of  it,  should  be  rather  employed  in  that  ser- 
vice, than  Enoch,  who  was  not  so  concerned. 

§3.  (To  [xvi  t^eTv  ^civulov)  that  he  should  not  see  death; 
or  this  was  the  effect  of  it,  that  he  should  not  die. 
Death  being  the  great  object  of  ^en^ife/e consideration, 
it  is  expressed  by  words  of  sense;  seeing  it,  tasting  it, 
and  the  like.  And  two  things  are  intended: — that  this 
translation  was  without  death,  or  not  by  death:  and, — 
he  was  freed  from  death  by  eminent  favor.  The  great 
lawgiver  put  in  an  exception  to  the  general  sanction  of 
the  law,  "that  all  sinners  should  die."  Death  being  in 
its  own  nature  penal,  as  also  destructive  of  our  present 
constitution,  in  the  dissolution  of  soul  and  body,  an 
exemption  from  it  was  a  signal  instance  of  grace  and 
favor. 

And  this  was  a  divine  testimony,  that  the  body  itself 
is  also  capable  of  eternal  life.  When  all  mankind  saw 
that  their  bodies  went  into  dust  and  corruption  univer- 
sally, it  was  not  easy  for  them  to  believe  that  they 


Vkr.  5.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  137 

were  capable  of  any  other  condition,  but  that  the  grave 
\Ceis  to  be  their  eternal  habitation,  according  to  the  di- 
vine sentence  on  the  entrance  of  sin;  "dust  thou  art, 
and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  Gen.  iii,  19.  But 
herein  God  gave  us  a  pledge  and  assurance,  that  the 
body  itself  hath  a  capacity  of  eternal  blessedness  in 
heaven.  But  whereas  this  evidence  of  a  capacity  in 
the  body  to  enjoy  eternal  life  and  blessedness,  was  con- 
fined to  such  as  never  died,  it  could  not  be  a  convincing 
pledge  of  the  resurrection  of  bodies,  over  which  death 
once  had  a  dominion;  this  therefore  was  reserved  for 
the  resurrection  of  Christ. 

§4.  {Kai  8X  ev^i<r-Aelo)  and  he  was  not  found.  In  the 
text  of  Moses  it  is  only  (i:J>K\)  and  he  was  not;  he 
went  away,  and  was  no  more  among  men.  Enoch 
was  the  principal  patriarch  then  in  the  world,  being, 
besides,  a  great  preacher  and  prophet,  the  eyes  of  all 
were  upon  him.  How  God  took  him  is  not  declared; 
whether  there  was  any  visible  sign  of  it,  as  there  was 
in  the  case  of  Elijah,  (2  Kings  ii,  11)  is  uncertain;  but, 
doubtless,  upon  the  disappearing  of  so  great  a  person 
in  the  world,  there  was  great  inquiry  after  him.  See  2 
Kings  ii,  16,  17.  The  apostle  seems  to  intimate  this 
as  if  he  had  said,  "they  made  great  search  after  him, 
but  he  was  not  found.  ^^ 

§5.  The  reason  wvls  [^loli  fxflfSt^xfv  av'ov  o  Qsog)  be- 
cause God  had  translated  him  into  another  state  and 
condition;  it  was  an  act  of  God  himself,  his  power 
and  grace;  and  when  he  did  not  appear,  when  {sz 
iv^ia-Aelo)  he  was  not  found,  this  was  what  satisfied  all 
the  godly;  for  there  was  such  evidence  as  was  sufficient 
security  for  their  faith,  relative  to  the  important  fact, 
although  we  know  not  at  present  what  it  was  in  par- 
ticular; but  the  apostle  doth  not  only  declare  the  truth 
of  the  thing,  but  also  that  it  was  a  matter  kncKvn,  and 
of  use  to  the  church  In  those  days. 


138  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  iL 

§6.  This  the  apostle  ascribes  to  his  faith;  "by  faith 
he  was  translated;'^  that  is,  instmmentaliy,  in  that 
thereby  he  was  brought  into  that  state  and  condition, 
and  so  accepted  with  God,  as  that  he  was  capable  of 
so  great  a  favor.  But  his  beins  made  an  instance  of 
this  divine  grace,  for  the  edification  of  the  church  in 
all  ages,  was  an  act  oi sovereignty  alone.  And  th-3  is 
peculiar,  and  not  unworthy  of  remark,  respecting  these 
two  first  instances  of  the  power  of  faith;  that  the  one 
was  exposed  by  it  to  a  bloody  death,  the  other  was  de- 
livered by  it  that  he  did  not  die  at  all. 

§7.  In  the  field  oi  conjectures  used  on  this  occasion^ 
I  judge  it  probable — that  his  rapture  was  visible  to 
many  that  feared  God,  who  were  to  be  witnesses  of  it 
to  the  world,  that  it  might  be  his  ordinance  for  the 
conviction  of  sinners,  and  the  strengthening  of  the  faith 
of  the  churcli,  as  also  an  exposition  of  the  first  prom- 
ise;— that  it  was  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  like  that  of 
Elijah; — that  he  was  carried  immediately  into  heaven 
itself; — that  he  was  made  partaker  of  all  the  glory 
which  was  allotted  to  the  heavenly  state,  before  the 
ascension  of  Christ."  I  am  also  fully  satisfied,  from  the 
prophecy  of  Enoch,  recorded  by  the  apostle  Jude,  that 
he  had  a  great  contest  with  the  world  about  faith,  obe- 
dience, and  the  worship  of  God,  with  the  certainty  of 
divine  vengeance  on  ungodly  sinners,  and  the  eternal 
reward  of  the  righteous.  And  as  this  contest  for  God 
against  the  world  is  exceedingly  acceptable  to  him, 
which  he  manifested  afterwards  in  his  taking  Elijah  to 
himself,  who  had  discharged  his  commission  with  a 
fiery  (but  divinely  regulated)  zeal;  so,  in  this  transla- 
tion of  Enoch  upon  the  like  contest,  he -visibly  judged 
the  cause  on  his  side,"  confirming  his  ministry,  to  the 
strengthening  of  believers,  and  the  condemnation  of  the 
world.     Wherefore,  although  it  be  a  dream,  that  the 


V*:tt.  5.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  I39 

witnesses  mentioned.  Rev.  xi,  3,  5,  are  Enoch  and  Elia? 
personally,  yet  because  their  ministry  is  to  bear  testi- 
mony for  God  and  Christ  against  the  world,  thereby 
plaguing  and  tormenting  the  men  that  dwell  on  the 
earth,  vei".  10,  as  they  also  did,  there  may  be  an  allu- 
sion to  them  and  their  ministry.  Wherefore,  there  are 
two  ways  of  confirming  a  ministry; — by  suffering,  as 
Abel  did, — and  by  God's  visibly  owning  them,  as  he 
did  Enoch:  and  both  these  ways  are  to  befall  the  two 
witnesses,  first  to  be  slain,  and  then  taken  up  into 
heaven;  first  to  suffer,  and  then  to  be  exalted. 
.  §8.  -'For  before  his  translation  he  had  this  testimo- 
ny, that  he  pleased  God."  These  words  are  an  en- 
trance into  the  proof  of  the  apostle's  assertion,  that  it 
was  by  faith  Enoch  was  translated,  which  he  confirms 
in  the  next  verse;  he  was  translated  by  faith  {%^o  yct% 
TJ15  /Aflafif^wo-)  for  before  that  translation  he  had 
walked  with  God  three  hundred  years;  but  the  apos- 
tle doth  not  say,  that  this  was  testified  of  him  befor& 
his  translation,  as  signifying  the  time  of  giving  the  tes- 
timony; for  it  was  not  given  until  many  generations 
afterwards;  and  yet  the  testimony  when  given  him 
concerned  the  time  before  his  translation,  Gen.  v,  22, 
24.  That  of  "walking  with  God"  in  Moses,  the  apos- 
tle renders  by  {evy\f^e<x1viy.svcii  701  Qeu)  pleasing  God;  for 
this  alone  is  well  pleasing  to  him;  his  pleasure,  his 
delight  is  in  them  that  fear  him,  and  walk  before  him; 
and  thus  the  apostle  gives  us  the  whole  sense  of  the 
divine  lestimony.  And  we  may  again  remark,  that 
this  also  is  peculiar  to  these  two  first  instances,  that 
they  had  an  especial  testimony  from  Gocl  i»s  to  t  :e  ac- 
ceptance of  them  and  their  services;  and  in  them  we 
have  a  representation  in  epitome  of  the  state  of  the 
old  world  before  the  flood.  There  were  two  sorts  of 
persons  in  it,  believers  and  unbelievers;  among  the3e 

VOL.    IV.  18 


140  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

there  were  differences  about  religion,  and  the  worship 
of  God;  some  of  them  were  approved  of  God,  and 
some  were  not,  hence  arose  persecution;  and  the 
wicked,  scoffing,  persecuting  world  was  threatened  with 
predictions  of  judgments,  and  divine  vengeance  to 
come.  God,  in  the  mean  time,  exercised  patience  and 
long-suffering  towards  the  disobedient,  1  Pet.  iii,  20; 
yet  not  without  some  instances  of  his  special  favor  to- 
words  believers;  and  thus  it  is  at  this  day. 
§9.  (II.)    From  the  above  observe, 

1 .  Whatever  be  the  outward  different  events  of  faith 
in  believers  in  this  world,  they  are  all  alike  accepted 
with  God,  and  shall  all  equally  enjoy  the  eternal  in- 
heritance. 

2.  God  can  and  doth  put  a  great  difference  as  to 
outward  things,  between  such  as  are  equally  accepted 
before  him;  Abel  shall  die,  and  Enoch  shall  be  taken 
alive  into  heaven. 

3.  There  is  no  service  so  acceptable  to  God,  favor- 
ed with  pledges  of  his  favor  so  signal,  as  a  due  and 
zealous  opposition  to  the  world  in  giving  witness  to 
his  ways,  his  worship,  and  his  kingdom,  or  the  rule  of 
Christ  over  all.     And, 

4.  It  is  a  part  of  our  testimony  to  declare  and  wit- 
ness, that  vengeance  is  prepared  for  ungodly  persecu- 
tors, and  all  sorts  of  impenitent  sinners,  however  they 
may  be  provoked  thereby. 

5.  The  principal  part  of  this  testimony  consists  in 
our  visible  walking  with  God  in  holy  obedience,  ac- 
cording to  the  tenor  of  the  covenant,  2  Pet.  iii, 
11—14. 

6.  As  it  is  an  effect  of  divine  Wisdom  to  dispose  the 
works  of  his  providence,  and  the  accomplishment  of 
his  promises,  to  an  ordinary  established  rule  declared 
in  his  word,  which  is  the  guidance  of  faith;  so  it  is 


Ver.  6.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  Ui 

sometimes  to  give  extraordinary  instances,  both  in  the 
way  of  judgment,  and  of  grace. 

7.  Faith  in  God,  through  Christ,  hath  an  efficacy  in 
procuring  such  mercy  and  favor,  in  particular,  as  it 
hath  no  particular  ground  to  believe.  Enoch  was 
translated  by  faith;  yet  he  did  not  believe  he  should 
be  translated  until  he  had  a  particular  revelation  of  it; 
so  there  are  many  particular  mercies  which  faith  hath 
no  word  of  promise  to  mix  itself  with;  but  yet,  keep- 
ing itself  within  due  bounds  of  trust  and  reliance  on 
God,  and  acting  by  patience  and  prayer,  it  may  be  in- 
strumental in  procuring  them. 

8.  They  must  walk  with  God  here,  who  design  to 
live  with  him  hereafter;  or  they  must  please  God  in 
this  world,  who  would  be  blessed  with  him  in 
another. 

9.  That  faith  which  can  translate  a  man  out  of  this 
world,  can  carry  us  through  the  difficulties  we  may 
meet  with  in  the  profession  of  faith  and  obedience  in 
it.  Herein  lies  the  apostle's  argument;  and  this  latter 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  determined  to  be  the  lot 
and  portion  of  his  disciples;  John  xvii,  15,  "I  pray 
not  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but 
shouldest  keep  them  from  the  eyil." 

VERSE  6. 

But  nvithout  faith  it  is  imfiossible  to  please  him;  for  he  that  com-r 
eth  to  God  must  believe  that  he  isy  and  that  he  is  a  reivarder 
of  them  that  seek  him. 

§1.  (I.)  The  apostle's  argument.  $2.  All  pleasing  of  Cod  is  by  faith;  $3. 
Coming  to  God,  what.  §4.  What  implied  iu  believing  that  God  is.  §5.  A  re- 
warder.    §6.  (11.)  Observations, 

§1-  (I)  X  HERE  being  no  direct  mention  made  of 
faiih  in  the  testimony  given  to  Enoch,  but  only  that 
by  walking  with  God,  he  pleased  him,  the  apostle  in 
this  verse  proves  from  thence  that  it  was  by  faith  he 


Ut  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CMai-.  U. 

pleased  God,  and  consequently  that  thereby  he  ob- 
tained his  translation.  The  assertion  ]S, — That  Enoch 
was  translated  by  faith,  which  appears  from  his  hav- 
ing a  divine  testimony  that  he  pleased  God;  which  he 
could  not  have  without  faith,  as  is  evident  from  an 
jK^knowledged  sacred  maxim, — without  faith  it  is  im- 
l^ossible  to  please  God — whence  the  conclusion  follow^, 
that  if  his  translation  was  the  effect  of  his  pleasing 
God,  it  must  be  also  of  his  faith.  "Without  faith  it 
is  impossble  to  please  God;"  that  is,  faith  is  the  only 
way  and  means  whereby  any  one  may  please  God; 
or,  all  pleasing  of  God  must  be  by  faith,  it  being  im- 
possible it  should  be  otherwise.  The  verb  {evaqealvjo-iu) 
is  used  only  in  this  epistle,  in  these  two  verses,  and 
chap,  xiii,  16;  in  the  passive  voice,  "God  is  well  pleas- 
ed." The  adjective  (evu^ialog)  is  used  frequently,  and 
is  constantly  applied  to  persons  or  things  that  are  ac- 
cepted with  God,  Rom.  xii,  1,  2.  Three  things  are 
included  in  our  pleasing  God: — that  our  persons  be 
accepted, — that  our  duties  please,  and — that  we  have 
a  testimony  thc^t  we  are  righteous,  or  justified,  as  Abel 
and  Enoch  had,  and  as  all  true  believers  have  in  the 
scripture.  This  is  that  pleasing  of  God  which  is  ap- 
propriated to  faith  alone;  otherwise  there  may  be 
many  acts  and  duties,  materially,  with  which  God  is 
pleased,  and  which  he  will  reward  in  this  world  with- 
out faith;  so  was  the  destruction  of  the  house  of  Ahab 
by  Jehu. 

§2.  This  pleasing  of  God  is  so  "6?/  faith,^^  as  that 
tvithout  faith  it  cannot  he,  (a^vvulov)  it  is,  impossible. 
Many,  in  all  ages,  have  attempted  to  please  God  with- 
out faith.  Cain  began  it,  for  his  design  in  his  offering 
was  to  please  God;  but  he  did  it  not  by  faith,  and 
therefore  failed  in  his  design.  And  this  is  the  great 
difference  always  in  the  visible  church;  all  in  their 


Veh.  6.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  143 

divine  worship  profess  a  desire  and  hope  to  iilease 
God,  else  to  what  purpose  do  they  serve  him?  But, 
as  our  apostle  speaks,  many  of  them  'seek  it  not  by 
faith,"  but  by  their  own  works  and  duties,  Rom.  ix, 
32;  those  alone  attain  their  end  who  seek  it  by  faith, 
and  therefore  God  frequently  rejects  the  greatest  mul- 
tiplication of  duties  where  that  is  wanting.  Where- 
fore, saith  the  apostle,  this  is  a  fundamental  maxim 
of  religion,  that — "it  is  impossible  to  please  God  any 
other  way  than  by  faith;"  let  men  desire,  and  aim  at 
it  as  long  as  they  please,  they  shall  never  attain  to  it, 
for  it  is  impossible,  both  from  a  divine  constitution,  and 
from  the  nature  of  the  thing  itself,  faith  being  the  first 
regxilar  motion  of  the  soul  towards  God.  Neverthe- 
less, so  deeply  rooted  is  this  prejudice  in  the  minds  of 
men,  that  some  have  disputed  with  God  himself,  as  if 
he  dealt  not  equally  and  justly  with  them  when  he 
was  not  pleased  with  their  duties,  nor  themselves;  and 
the  apprehension  of  this  difference  keeps  up  hatred, 
feuds,  and  persecutions  in  the  visible  church;  lays  the 
foundation  of  superstitious  worship,  and  occasions  in- 
numerable controversies. 

Wherefore,  unless  we  hold  fast  this  truth,  that  it  is 
feith  alone  whereby  we  please  God,  and  obtain  ac- 
ceptance with  him,  we  condemn  the  generation  of 
the  righteous  from  the  foundation  of  the  world;  and, 
may  we  not  add,  take  part  with  Cain  against  Abel? 

§3.  "For  he  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that 
he  is;"  (x^oa-si^xoy^evov  tw  0ew)  he  that  cometh  to  God; 
this  'coming^''  denotes  an  access  of  the  person  to  the 
favor  of  God,  including  the  particular  addresses  to 
him  with  his  duties.  And  that  access  which  makes 
faith  so  necessary,  implies  a  previous  sense  of  rmant  in 
ourselves,  by  a  distance  from  God.  No  man  designs 
to  come  to  God  but  for  relief,  satisfaction,   and  rest. 


144  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  II. 

"^ow  faith  alone  is  the  gracious  power  which  takes 
us  off  from  all  confidence  in  ourselves,  and  directs  us 
to  look  for  all  in  another,  in  God  himself;  and  there- 
fore it  must  see  that  in  God  which  is  suited  to  give 
relief  in  this  condition. 

Again,  there/must  be  antecedently  some  encourage- 
ment given  to  him  that  will  come  to  God,  and  that 
from  God  himself;  which  can  be  nothing  but  his  free 
gracious  promise  to  receive  them  who  come  to  him 
by  Christ,  grounded  on  a  divine  revelation;  which 
revelation  itself,  in  reality,  hath  in  it  the  nature  of  a 
promise;  for  the  reception  o(  which,  faith  is  indispen- 
sably necessary;  this  is  what  the  apostle  makes  it  his 
design  to  prove  in  a  great  part  of  the  chapter. 

§4.  It  is  the  duty  of  those  who  have  this  design  of 
coming  to  God,  ['Xialevaui)  to  believe;  for  this  is  the 
only  appointed  way  of  attaining  that  end;  whence  be- 
lieving itself  is  often  called  "coming  to  God,"  or 
"coming  to  Christ,"  Isa.  Iv,  1,  3;  John  vi,  37,  44;  vii, 
37;  the  first  thing  to  be  believed  is,  {on  eali)  that  God 
is;  the  expression  seems  to  be  elliptical,  something 
more  being  intended  than  the  divine  being,  absolutely; 
even  as  "his  God.^^  The  apostle  speaks  not  here  of 
any  such  assent  to  the  truth  of  the  being  and  exist- 
ence of  God  as  may  be  attained  by  reason,  or  the 
light  of  nature,  but  that  which  is  the  true  object  of 
faith;  and  it  is  such  a  believing  of  the  being  of  God, 
as  gives  encouragement  "to  come  to  him."  And  that 
apprehension  which  men  may  have  of  the  being  of 
God  by  the  light  of  nature,  and  even  of  his  being  a 
revvarder,  Cain  had,  as  we  have  shewn,  and  yet  he 
had  no  share  in  that  faith  which  the  apostle  here  re- 
quijes;  wherefore,  it  is  evident  from  the  context,  the 
cii  <:  imstance  of  the  subject  treated  of,  and  the  design 
of  the  apostle,  that  the  object  of  faith  here  intended  is 


Ver.  6.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  145 

— the  divine  nature  with  its  glorious  properties,  as  en- 
gaged, and  acting  themselves  in  a  way  of  giving  rest, 
satisfaction,  and  blessedness  to  them  who  come  unto 
him. 

When  we  are  obliged  to  believe  Hhat  he  i5,"  it  is 
what  he  proposeth  when  he  declareth  himself  by  the 
name,  1  AM,  Exod.  iii,  14;  whereby  he  did  not  only 
signify  his  existence  absolutely,  but  also  that  he  so  was, 
as  that  he  would  actually  give  existence  and  accom- 
plishment to  all  his  promises  to  the  church;  so  when 
he  revealed  himself  to  Abraham  by  the  name  of  "Al- 
mighty God,"  Gen.  xvii,  1,  he  was  not  obliged  to  be- 
lieve merely  his  "eternal  power  and  godhead,"  which 
may  be  known  by  the  light  of  nature,  Rom.  i,  20;  but 
also  that  he  would  be  so  to  him,  in  exerting  his  Al- 
mighty power  on  his  behalf;  whereon  he  requires  of 
him  that  he  should  "walk  before  him  and  be  perfect;" 
wherefore  the  believing  that  God  is,  according  to  the 
text,  is  to  believe  him  as  our  God  in  covenant,  exer- 
cising the  holy  properties  of  his  nature,  power,  wis- 
dom, goodness,  grace,  and  the  like,  in  a  way  of  giving 
rest  and  blessedness  to  our  souls.  For  to  suppose 
that  the  apostle  intends  by  that  faith  whereby  we 
may  come  to  God,  and  find  acceptance  with  him, 
nothing  but  an  assent  to  the  being  of  God  absolutely 
considered,  which  is  altogether  fruitless  in  the  gener- 
ality of  mankind,  is  a  vain  notion  unsuited  to  his 
design. 

§5.  "And  (|x/5-fiaxo5o7vi5  yivsixi)  that  he  is,  or  'will  be 
a  reward  of  them  that  diligently  seek  them;"  that  is, 
he  will  act  in  all  things  towards  them  suitably  to  the 
proposal  which  he  makes  of  himself  to  faith,  when  he 
says,  I  AM,  or  I  AM  GOD  ALMIGHTY,  or  the 
like.  God  is  a  rewarder  to  them  that  seek  him,  in 
that  he  himself  is  their  reicard;  which  eternally  ex- 


146  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

eludes  all  thoughts  of  merit  in  them  that  are  reward- 
ed; for  who  can  merit  God  to  be  his  reward?  Is  not 
this  an  act  of  infinite  grace  and  bounty?  And  the 
proposal  of  this  (O  stupendous  reward!)  is  that  alone 
which  gives  encouragement  to  come  unto  him,  and 
which  the  apostle  designs  to  declare. 

This  farther  appears  from  the  limitation:  "them 
who  diligently  seek  him;"  for  {eyX^letv)  the  word  here 
used,  argues  a  peculiar  manner  of  seeking,  whence 
we  rendei'  it  diligently  seek  him.  To  seek  God,  im- 
plies a  rule,  guiding  us  as  to  the  "dDay  we  are  to  go, 
and  what  we  are  to  expect;  those  that  sought  him 
without  such  a  rule,  did  but  strive  {'lyi\uC(>vi<7aeiv)  to 
feel  after  him,  as  men  feel  after  a  thing  in  the  dark; 
when  they  know  neither  what  it  is,  nor  how  to  come 
at  it. 

And  what  can  this  rule  be,  but  the  rule  of  God's 
covenant  with  us,  and  the  revelation  made  of  himself 
therein?  Again,  this  diligent  seeking  of  God  is  an  ac- 
cess to  him  by  faith,  initial  and  progressive,  according 
to  the  tenor  of  the  covenant  of  grace  in  Christ  Jesus, 
that  we  may  find  favor  and  acceptance. 

§6.  (II.)  Hence  we  may  observe, 

1.  When  God  hath  put  an  impossibility  upon  any 
thing,  it  is  in  vain  for  men  to  attempt  it;  from  the  days 
of  Cain  multitudes  have  been  designing  to  please  God 
without  faith,  all  in  vain;  like  them  that  would  have 
builded  a  tower,  whose  top  should  reach  to  heaven. 

2.  It  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  examine  well 
into  the  sincerity  of  our  faith,  whether  it  be  of  the 
true  kind  or  no;  seeing  thereon  depends  the  accep- 
tance of  our  persons  and  our  duties.  None  ever 
thought  that  God  was  to  be  pleased  without  any 
faith  at  all;  for  the  very  design  of  pleasing  God  avows 
some  kind  of  faith;  but  that  special  kind  of  faith 
whereby  we  may  be  justified,  they  regard  not. 


Ver.  r.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  147 

3.  God  himself  in  his  self  sufficiency,  and  all  suffi- 
ciency, being  thereby  meet  to  act  towards  poor  sinners 
in  a  way  of  bounty,  is  the  first  motive  or  encourage- 
ment to  faith. 

4.  Those  who  seek  God  only  according  to  the  light 
of  nature,  do  but  feel  after  him  in  the  dark,  and  they 
shall  never  find  him  such  a  rewarder  as  here  described, 
whatever  notions  they  may  have  of  his  justice,  re- 
wards, and  punishments. 

5.  Those  who  seek  him  according  to  the  law  of 
tvorks,  and  by  the  best  of  their  obedience  to  it,  shall 
never  find  him  as  a  rewarder,  nor  attain  what  they 
seek  after;  see  Rom.  ix,  31,  32. 

6.  It  is  the  most  proper  act  of  faith  to  come  and 
cleave  to  God  as  a  rewarder,  by  way  of  grace  and 
bounty,  as  proposing  himself  for  our  Redeemer. 

7.  That  faith  is  vain,  which  doth  not  put  men  in  a 
diligent  inquiry  after  God. 

8.  The  whole  issue  of  our  finding  God  when  we 
seek  him,  depends  on  our  way  and  rule  in  so  doing. 


VERSE  7. 
Bij  faith  JVoah  being  warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet, 
moved  with  fear,  fire fiared  an  ark  for  the  saving  of  his  house; 
by  which  he  condemned  the  world,  and  became  heir  of  the  right- 
eousness which  is  by  faith. 

§1.  Introduction.  Noah.  §'2.  Warned  of  God.  ^3.  Obeyed.  §4.  Prepared 
an  ark.  §3.  To  the  saving  of  his  house.  §6.  Condemned  the  world.  ^7.  Be- 
came lieir  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.     §8,  9,  (II.)  Observations. 

§1'  (I.)  JNoaii  is  the  third  person  mentioned  in  the 
scripture,  to  whom  testimony  was  given  in  particular 
that  he  was  righteous;  and  therefore  the  apostle  pro- 
duceth  him  in  the  third  place,  as  an  instance  of  the 
power  and  efficacy  of  faith,  declaring  also  wherein  his 
faith  wrought,  and  was  effectual.     The  application  of 

VOL.   IV.  19 


148  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11, 

this  example  was  exceedingly  proper  and  seasonable  to 
these  Hebrews,  who  stood  now  on  their  trial  of  what 
they  would  follow  and  abide  by,  faith  or  unbelief;  for 
here  they  might  see,  as  in  a  glass,  what  would  be  the 
effect  of  the  one  and  the  other.  Noah  being  designed 
of  God  for  a  work  uncommonly  important,  to  live  and 
act  at  that  time  wherein  God  would  destroy  the  world 
for  sin,  he  had  his  name  given  him  by  a  spirit  of 
prophecy.  His  father  Lamech  called  him  (riJ)  Noah, 
for,  said  he,  ('vJDni''  n?)  this  shall  comfort  us  concern- 
ing our  work  and  toil  of  our  hand,  because  of  the 
ground  which  the  Lord  hath  cursed,  Gen.  v,  29.  He 
foresaw  that  by  him,  in  his  days,  relief  would  come 
from  the  curse;  which  was  done — partly,  in  the  just 
destruction  of  the  wicked  world,  wherein  the  earth  for 
a  while  had  rest  from  its  bondage  under  which  it 
groaned,  Rom.  viii,  22; — and  partly,  that  in  him  th6 
promise  of  the  blessed  seed  should  be  preserved,  whence 
proceed  all  rest  and  comfort;  as  to  his  state  and  condi- 
tion antecedent  to  what  is  here  declared  of  him;  it  is 
affirmed  in  his  history,  that  he  ^  found  grace  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord,'*  Gen.  vi,  8;  and  that  he  was  ''just, 
perfect  in  his  generation,  and  walked  with  God^  ver. 
9;  he  was  accepted  with  God,  justified,  and  walked  in 
acceptable  obedience,  before  he  was  thus  divinely 
warned. 

As  to  his  employment  in  the  world,  he  was,  "a 
preacher  of  righteousness,"  2  Pet.  ii,  5;  that  is,  of  the 
righteousness  of  God  by  faith;  and  of  righteousness 
by  repentance  and  obedience  among  men.  There  is 
no  doubt  but  that  before,  and  whilst  he  was  building 
the  ark,  he  was  urgent  with  mankind  in  calling  them 
to  repentance,  by  declaring  i\\e  pi^omises  and  threaten- 
ings  of  God;  and,  oh,  what  a  ble^se. i  state  and  em- 
ployment! to  be  a  preacher  of  ri;/,htcuusness  to  others, 
and  an  heir  of  righteousness  himself! 


Ver.  7.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  149 

He  is  said  to  be  (oyho;,  2  Pet.  ii,  5,)  the  eighth  per- 
son; because  he  was  the  head  of  the  eight  that  were 
saved,  the  other  seven  depending  on  him,  and  saved 
by  him;  unless  we  shall  suppose  him  to  be  called  the 
eighth  preacher  of  righteousness,  that  is,  from  Enoch, 
when  the  separation  was  first  made  between  the  wicked 
and  the  godly,  and,  wickedness  increasing,  those  who 
feared  God  began  publicly  to  preach  repentance,  Gen. 
iv,  26. 

§2.'  "Being  (%pvipLal;o-6f/?)  tvarned  of  God  of  things 
not  seen  as  yet."  The  word  (%pti/xa7/?w)  properly  de- 
notes, to  give  an  answer  with  authority,  by  kings  or 
magistrates,  to  ambassadors  or  orators;  and  passively 
is  used  in  scripture  for  called  or  named;  but  its  more 
frequent  use  is  for  a  divine  warning,  Matt,  ii,  12 — 22; 
and  the  substantive  (%pvi(xa?/fT/xo?)  is  a  divine  oracle, 
Rom.  ix,  4;  and  it  is  used  to  express  any  kind  of  di- 
vine revelation,  as  by  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Luke  ii,  26;  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  Acts  x,  22;  by 
dreams.  Matt,  ii,  12 — 22;  or  by  an  immediate  voice  of 
God,  Rom.  ix,  4.  And  this  warning  of  God  is  no 
other  but  that  which  is  recorded.  Gen.  vi,  13,  &c.  and 
there  were  two  parts  of  it;  the  first  mmatory,  or  a  de- 
claration of  the  purpose  of  God  to  destroy  the  whole 
world,  ver.  13.  The  second  directory,  shewing  what 
he  required  of  him  in  making  an  ark,  ver.  14,  &c.  ac- 
cordingly it  had  a  twofold  effect  on  Noah;  fear  fioni 
the  threatening,  and  obedience  in  building  the  ark  ac- 
cording to  direction. 

Both  parts  of  this  divine  u'arning  were  "of  things  not 
yfet  seen;"  wherefore  it  was  a  pure  act  of  faith  in  No- 
ah to  believe  what  he  had  no  evidence  for  but  by  di- 
vine revelation;  especially  considering,  that  the  thing 
revealed  was  in  itself  strange,  direful,  and  to  humati 
reason  incredible. 


]50  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  11. 

§3.  In  consequence  of  this  warning,  the  first  part  of 
which  was  a  threatening  of  total  destruction,  faithful 
Noah  [evhci(hvi^£tg)  was  moved  with  fear;  a  reverential 
fear  of  God's  threatenings,  and  not  an  anxious,  solici- 
tous fear  of  the  evil  threatened.  His  believing  the 
word  of  God  had  this  effect  on  him;  in  the  warning 
given  him  he  considered  the  greatness,  holiness,  and 
power  of  God,  with  the  vengeance  becoming  those  holy 
properties  of  his  nature  which  he  threatened  to  bring 
on  the  world;  this  fear,  which  arose  from  faith,  was 
used  by  the  same  faith  to  stir  him  up  to  duty;  and 
therefore  this  reverential  fear  of  God  is  frequently  in 
scripture  used  for  the  whole  worship  of  God,  and  all 
the  obedience  required  of  us;  because  it  is  a  continual 
motive  to  it,  and  a  means  of  a  due  performance  of  it. 

§4.  {Kcileaiievcije  mtulov)  '■•  he  prepared  an  ark.!^  The 
preparing  of  this  vessel,  or  any  thing  like  it,  to  swim 
on  the  water,  was  a  thing  new  on  the  earth,  a  marvel- 
lous work,  requiring  great  labor,  expense,  and  time, 
commonly  supposed  an  hundred  and  twenty  years; 
and  a  strange  thing,  no  doubt,  it  was  in  the  world,  to 
see  a  man  with  so  great  an  endeavor  building  a  ship 
where  there  was  no  water  near  him.  During  this  pre- 
paration he  continued  to  preach  righteousness  and  re- 
pentance to  the  inhabitants  of  the  world;  and  doubt- 
less,  he  let  them  know  in  what  way  they  should  be  de- 
stroyed if  they  did  not  repent,  and  which  the  preparing 
of  an  ark  so  clearly  implied:  but  the  inhabitants  of  the 
old  world  were  disobedient;  they  did  not  repent,  they 
did  not  return  to  God  upon  his  preaching,  1  Pet.  iii, 
19,  20;  for  which  cause  they  were  not  only  temporally 
destroyed,  but  shut  up  in  the  everlasting  prison:  and 
all  the  time  of  warning  they  were  secure,  not  being 
moved  with  his  threatening  to  the  last  hour;  Matt,  xxiv, 
38,  39,  ''They  knew  not  until  the  flood  came  and  took 


Veh.  7.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  151 

them  away."  Nay,  on  the  contrary,  they  were  scoffers, 
2  Pet.  iii,  3 — 6;  they  scorned  and  derided  Noah  both 
in  his  preaching  and  building. 

§5.  The  immediate  happy  effect  of  this  faith  of  No- 
ah, and  the  fruits  of  it  in  fear  and  obedience,  was  "the 
saving  (ra  oihh  «ui8)  of  his  house,^^  family,  or  house- 
hold; including  himself,  his  wife,  his  three  sons,  and 
their  wives;  that  is,  such  as,  on  the  foresight  ot  the 
flood,  they  had  espoused;  for  probably  they  came  not 
together  in  conjugal  duties  till  after  the  flood,  for  they 
had  no  child  until  then,  Gen.  x,  1;  and  the  persons 
saved  were  eight  only. 

This  family  God  in  sovereign  grace  and  mercy 
would  preserve,  principally  to  continue  the  conveyance 
of  the  promised  seed,  which  was  to  be  produced  from 
Adam,  Luke  iii,  38;  and  which  was  not,  by  virtue  of 
the  immutable  counsel  of  God,  liable  to  an  intercession. 
And  in  this  saving  of  the  family  of  Noah  by  the  ark, 
we  have  a  figure  of  God's  preserving  a  remnant  in  all 
ages,  when  desolating  judgments  have  destroyed  apos- 
tatized churches  and  nations;  so  the  apostle  Peter  de- 
clares with  respect  to  the  vengeance  and  overwhelm- 
ing destruction  that  was  coming  on  the  apostatized 
church  of  the  Jews;  1  Pet.  iii,  21,  22,  '^The  ark 
wherein  few,  that  is,  eight  souls,  were  saved  by  water; 
the  like  figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  now  save 
us."  I  deny  not  but  that  there  is  a  great  analogy  in 
general  between  salvation  by  the  ark  and  that  by  bap- 
tism, inasmuch  as  the  one  did  represent  and  the  other 
doth  exhibit  Christ  himself.  But  tiie  apostle  had  a  par- 
ticular design  in  this  comparison;  for  judgment  by  an 
universal  destruction  was  then  coming  on  the  whole 
church  and  people  of  the  Jews,  but  God  would  save  a 
few  by  baptism,  that  is,  their  initiation  into  gospel 
faith  and  repentance,  wherein   they  were  separated 


152  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U 

from  the  perishing  infidels,  and  were  really  and  actual- 
ly delivered  from  the  destruction  that  befell  them,  as 
Noah  and  his  family  were  in  the  ark. 

§6.  (Ka7fHp;v£  tov  >to(7/xov)  he  condetnned  the  world;  not 
as  a  judge  of  it,  properly  and  authoritatively,  but  as 
an  advocate  and  a  witness,  by  plea  and  testimony. 
He  condemned  it  by  his  doctrine,  obedience,  example, 
and  faith;  he  cleared  and  justified  God  in  his  threat- 
enings  and  the  execution  of  them,  and  therein  "con- 
demned the  world"  as  guilty  and  justly  deserving  the 
punishment  inflicted  on  them:  he  "condemned  the 
world"  by  casting  a  weighty  aggravation  on  its  guilt,  in 
that  he  believed  and  obeyed  when  they  refused  to  do 
so.  It  was  not  any  thing  evil,  grievous,  or  impossible, 
that  was  required  of  them,  but  what  he  gave  them  an 
example  of  in  himself,  which  greatly  aggravated  their 
sin:  he  "condemned  the  world"  by  leaving  it  utterly 
without  excuse;  he  that  takes  away  the  principal  plea 
that  a  guilty  person  can  make  in  his  own  defence, 
may  be  justly  said  to  condemn  him;  and  this  Noah 
did  towards  the  old  world:  he  left  them  no  pretence 
that  they  had  not  been  warned  of  their  sin  and  ap- 
proaching ruin;  so  that  they  had  nothing  to  plead  for 
themselves  why  the  execution  of  judgments  was  respit- 
ed for  one  moment: — finally,  he  "condemned  the 
world"  by  approving  of  the  vengeance  that  befell  them, 
though  very  severe;  so  shall  the  saints  judge  and  con- 
demn fallen  angels  at  the  last  day,  1  Cor.  vi,  3. 

§7.  The  last  thing  is,  "that  he  became  heir  {rvig  y.ula. 
•Kialiv  iDidioavMVtQ)  of  the  righteousness  which  is  by 
faith"  What  is  the  righteousness  here  intended  is 
fully  declared  by  the  apostle  in  all  his  other  writings; 
he  calls  it  sometimes  the  "righteousness  of  God"  abso- 
lutely; sometimes  "the  righteousness  of  God  which  is 
by  faith;"  sometimes  "the  gift  of  righteousness  which 


Vkr.  r.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  153 

is  by  Christ;"  sometimes  "the  righteousness  of  faith,'* 
or  the  'righteousness  which  is  by  faith,"  as  here:  in 
all  which  our  free  gratuitous  justification  by  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ  imputed  to  us  through  believing  is 
intended.  This  Noah  obtained  by  faith;  for  that  in 
this  faith  of  the  patriarchs  no  respect  was  had  to  Christ 
and  his  righteousness,  is  such  a  putid  figment,  so 
destructive  of  the  first  promise  and  all  true  faith  in  the 
church  of  old,  so  inconsistent  with  and  contrary  to  the 
design  of  the  apostle,  and  utterly  destroying  the  whole 
force  of  his  argument,  that  it  deserves  no  consideratic^. 

The  way  whereby  he  obtained  this  righteousness  is, 
that  (syeveio  xAv^povo/xo?)  he  was  made  the  heir  of  it. 
Noah  was  the  -'heir  of  the  righteousness  which  is  by 
faith;"  in  that  by  free  adoption  through  faith  he  came 
to  have  an  interest  in  the  righteousness  which  is  ten- 
dered in  the  promise,  whereby  it  is  conveyed  to  us  as 
an  inheritance.  And  whereas  it  is  said  that  he  '•^became''^ 
so,  if  respect  be  had  to  his  faith  in  building  the  ark,  the 
meaning  is,  that  he  was  then  evidenced  and  declared 
to  be  so;  as  Abraham  was  said  to  be  justified  when 
he  offered  Isaac,  who  was  personally  justified  long  be- 
fore: so  also  was  Noah  by  the  testimony  of  God  him- 
self, before  he  was  warned  to  build  an  ark. 

§8.  (II.)  We  may  from  hence  make  some  observa- 
tions: 

1.  It  is  an  high  commendation  of  faith,  to  believe 
things  on  the  word  of  God,  though  in  themselves,  and 
as  to  all  second  causes,  invisible,  and  seemingly  impos- 
sible, Rom.  iv,  17 — 19. 

2.  No  obstacle  can  stand  in  the  way  of  faith  when 
it  fixeth  itself  on  the  almighty  power  of  God  and  his 
infinite  veracity,  Rom.  xi,  23;  Tit.  i,  2. 

3.  It  is  a  great  encouragement  and  strengthening  to 
faith^  when  the  things  believed,  as  promised  or  threat- 


154  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CiiKr.  if. 

ened,  are  suitable  to  the  properties  of  the  divine  nature; 
righteousness,  holiness,  goodness,  and  the  like;  such  as 
it  became  God  to  do,  such  was  the  destruction  of  the 
world,  when  it  was  filled  with  wickedness  and  vio- 
lence. 

4.  We  have  here  a  pledge  of  a  certain  accomplish- 
ment of  all  divine  threatenings  against  ungodly  sinners 
and  enemies  of  the  church,  though  the  time  of  it  may 
be  yet  far  distant,  and  the  means  of  it  inevident. 

5.  A  reverential  fear  of  God,  as  threatening  ven^ 
geance  on  impenitent  sinners,  is  a  fruit  of  saving  faith, 
and  acceptable  to  God,  see  chap,  iv,  1. 

6.  It  IS  one  thing  to  fear  God,  as  threatening,  with 
an  holy  reverence;  another  to  be  afraid  of  the  evil 
threatened  merely  as  it  is  penal  and  destructive;  which 
the  worst  of  men  cannot  avoid. 

7.  Faith  produces  various  effects  in  the  minds  of  be- 
lievers, according  to  the  variety  of  objects  fixed  on; 
sometimes  joy  and  confidence,  sometimes  fear  and 
reverence. 

8.  Then  is  fear  a  fruit  of  faith,  when  it  engageth  us 
to  diligence  in  our  duty;  thus  Noah,  being  moved  by 
fear,  prepared  an  ark.  How  commendable  his  faith! 
Neither  the  difficulty  nor  length  of  the  work  itself,  nor 
his  want  of  success  in  preaching,  as  to  the  repentance 
of  his  hearers  and  their  conversion  to  God,  nor  the 
contempt  and  scorn  which  were  cast  upon  him  by  the 
whole  world,  discouraged  him  from  going  on  with 
the  work  and  duty  to  which  he  was  divinely  called. 

9.  When  the  preaching  of  righteousness  loseth  its 
eiiicacy  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  it  is  a  token  of 
approaching  desolations,  Rev.  xviii,  7,  8. 

§9.  1.  I'he  visible  professing  church  shall  never  fall 
into  such  an  apostasy,  nor  be  so  totally  destroyed,  but 


Ver.  8.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  155 

that  God  will  preserve  a  remnant  for  a  seed  to  future 
generations,  Isa.  vi,  11 — 13;  Rom.  ix,  27;  Rev.  xviii,  4. 

2.  Those  whom  God  calleth  to,  fitteth  for,  and  em- 
ployethinany  work,  are  therein  {a-wspyoi  0f»)  cowork- 
ers with  God,  1  Cor.  iii,  9;  2  Cor.  vi,  1.  So  as  that 
what  God  doth  himself  efficiently,  is  ascribed  to  them 
i  nstrumentally,  as  working  with  him  and  for  him. 
So  the  preachers  of  the  word  save  men,  1  Tim.  iv,  16; 
and  are  said  to  condemn  them. 

3.  Let  those  who  are  employed  in  the  declaration 
of  God's  promises  and  threatenings,  take  heed  to  them- 
selves to  answer  the  will  of  him  by  whom  they  are 
employed.  It  ought  to  be  a  motive  to  exemplary  dili- 
gence and  obedience,  that  therein  we  bear  testimony 
for  God  against  the  impenitent  world,  which  he  will 
judge  and  punish. 

4.  All  right  to  spiritual  privileges  and  mercies  is  by 
gratuitous  adoption. 

5.  The  righteousness  of  faith  is  the  best  inheritance; 
for  thereby  we  become  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs 
with  Christ. 

VERSE  8. 
By  faith  uibraham^   ivhen  he  was  called   to  go  out   into   a  place 
which  he  should  afterwards  receive  for  an  inheritance.,  obeyed} 
and  he  went  out,  tiot  knowing  whither  he  went. 

§1.  Introductioa  and  connexion.  §2.  (T.)  Abraham.  His  call.  §3.  Two  parts 
of  it.  §4.  Where  to,  §5.  Commendation  of  his  faith.  §6—8.  (II.)  Obaer- 
vations. 

§  1 .  X  HE  apostle  hath  now  passed  through  the  first 
period  of  scripture  records — from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  to  the  flood;  and  therein  hath  considered  the 
examples  of  all  concerning  whom  it  is  testified  in  par- 
ticular, that  tliey  pleased  God,  and  were  accepted  with 
him  in  their  obedience;  and  hath  shewn  that  they  all 
VOL.   IV.  20 


156  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

pleased  God,  and  were  righteous  by  faith;  and  their 
faith  was  effectual  to  secure  them  in  that  state  of  di^ 
vine  favor  by  enabling  them  for  all  duties  of  obedience, 
notwithstanding  the  difficulties  and  oppositions  they 
met  with.  Hereby  he  makes  good  his  design  with  re- 
spect to  these  Hebrews,  mz.  to  convince  them  that  if 
they  did  not  persevere  in  their  profession,  it  was  be- 
cause of  their  unbeliefs  seeing  true  faith  would  certain- 
\y  cany  tiiem  through  with  constancy  and  persever- 
ance, whatever  diiTiculties  they  should  meet  with. 
Hence  he  proceeds  to  the  next  period,  (extending 
from  the  renovation  of  the  world  in  the  family  of 
Noah  to  the  giving  of  the  law)  to  manifest,  that  in 
every  state  of  the  church  the  way  of  pleasing  God  was 
one  and  the  same;  as,  also,  that  faith  still  retained  its 
efficacy  under  all  economical  alterations. 

He  who,  in  this  period  of  time,  is  first  testified  unto 
in  the  scriptures  is  Abraham;  on  whose  example,  by 
reason  of  the  eminenc}^  of  his  person,  the  relation  of 
the  Hebrews  to  him,  (deriving  from  him  all  their  ^ntJ- 
ileges,  temporal  and  spiritual)  the  efficacy  of  his  faith, 
with  the  various  successful  exercises  of  it,  he  declares^ 
at  large  from  hence  to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  verse. 

§2.  (F.)  Designing  to  give  many  and  illustrious  in- 
stances of  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, the  apostle  begins  with  that  which  was  the  begin- 
ning and  foundation  of  them  all,  viz.  the  call  of  God 
and  his  compliance.  True  faith  acts  itself  in  obedience 
to  all  the  commands  of  God;  this  alone  is  that  faith 
which  the  apostle  celebrates,  and  to  which  he  ascribes 
the  great  effect  of  pleasing  God. 

"By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  (naKsixevog)  called" 
that  is,  of  God,  by  an  immediate  word  of  command 
from  him.  He  did  not  leave  all  his  present  satisfac- 
tions, and  put  himself  on  innumerable  hazards  for  the 


Veu.  8.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  157 

future,  merely  of  his  own  accord.  Had  he  not  a  di' 
vine  call,  there  had  been  no  such  work  for  faith. 
Where  there  is  no  call  from  God,  there  can  be  no 
trust  in  God.  Where  the  call  is  general,  as  in  our 
ordinary  concerns,  so  is  our  faith  in  God;  it  resigns  all 
circumstances  into  his  disposal;  but  this  special  call  of 
Abraham  required  a  special  faith.  It  is  particularly 
recorded,  Gen.  xii,  1;  which  took  place  immediately 
after  the  death  of  Terah. 

§3.  Of  this  call  of  Abraham  there  were  two  parts: — 
a  command;  Gen.  xii,  2,  "Get  thee  out  of  thy  coun- 
try," &c.  and  a  promise,  ver.  3;  and  I  will  make,  Sec. 
The  promise  included  a  temporal  blessing  in  the  mul- 
tiplication of  his  seed,  ver.  2;  and  a  spiritual  blessing 
in  confirming  the  promised  seed  to  him  and  his  family, 
in  whom  all  the  families  of  the  earth  were  to  be  bles- 
sed. And  it  is  a  thing  most  absurd,  and  contrary  to 
the  whole  design  of  scripture,  and  the  dispensation  of 
the  covenant,  to  confine  the  faith  of  Abraham  to  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  the  glory  of  his  posterity  therein. 
For  the  life  of  the  promise,  on  his  call,  whereby  his 
faith  was  animated,  was  in  the  "blessing  of  all  the  fam- 
ilies of  the  earth  in  him,"  which  was  in  Christ  alone, 
the  promised  seed,  as  all  but  infidels  must  confess. 

The  apostle  takes  notice  only  of  the  Jirst  part  of  the 
calls,  (xtfAijfxfvoc  fE*i^6f/v)  he  was  called  to  go  out,  so  our 
translation;  or,  being  called  {areytsaev  £iv]K^eiv)  he  obeyed 
to  go  out,  as  they  lie  in  the  original;  they  are  both  to 
the  same  purpose.  In  the  latter  way,  obeyed  is  imme- 
diately referred  to  faith;  in  the  former  going  out  is  so; 
his  faith  wrought  by  obedience  in  his  going  out;  Gen. 
xii,  1,  ''■Get thee  ("t^  i^  vade  tibi)  out  of  thy  country, 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house;" 
leave  and  forsake  all  thy  pleasant,  useful,  desirable 
things  on  earth;  these  three  things,  country,  kindred, 


158  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11 

and  fathers  house,  comprise  them  all.  Whereas, 
therefore,  natural  affection  and  sense  of  usefulness  eive 
the  two  cords  that  powerfully  bind  us  to  these  things, 
the  forsaking  of  them  must  needs  proceed  from  some 
great  cause  and  efficacious  impulse.  This,  therefore, 
commends  the  faith  of  Abraham,  in  the  first  place,  and 
evinceth  the  powerful  efficacy  of  faith  in  general;  that 
under  its  conduct,  in  obedience  to  the  call  of  God,  he 
could  relinquish  all  these  things,  cast  their  insinuations 
out  of  his  affections,  and  break  the  cords  of  delight  and 
interest. 

%4<.  Yet  he  was  not  called  to  forsake  this  place  where 
he  was,  and  then  left  to  rove  and  wander  up  and  down 
uncertainly;  but  was  called  {eig  nrov  ro%ov)  to  a  certain 
place.  It  so  falls  out  many  times,  that  men — grown 
weary  by  one  means  or  other,  (as  convictions  or  afflic- 
tions) of  their  natural  state,  so  as  to  have  a  mind  to  re- 
linquish it,  yet  having  no  discovery  of  a  better  state, 
with  rest  in  Christ  by  the  gospel — rove  up  and  down 
in  their  minds  and  affections  for  a  season,  and  then 
perish  in  their  wanderings,  or  return  to  the  place  from 
which  they  come  out.  This  did  not  the  patriarchs. 
And  he  is  said  to  receive  it:  it  was  given  him  by  way 
of  a  free  donation',  and  so  it  is  with  respect  to  all  good 
things  betwixt  God  and  us-,  he  is  the  free  donor  of 
them,  we  are  but  passive  recipients.  (E/c  xAv5povo/x/«v)/or 
an  inheritance.  To  an  inheritance  there  is  required 
right  and  title,  that  a  man  may  be  a  lawful  possessor 
of  it.  Now  this  country  was  before  possessed  by 
others,  who  enjoyed  it  by  a  prescription  from  its  first 
plantation.  But  God,  as  the  great  possessor  of  heaven 
and  earth,  as  the  sovereign  Lord  of  all  things,  trans- 
ferred their  right  and  title,  and  vested  it  in  Abraham. 
So  it  is  frequently  remarked,  "God  gave  them  this  or 
that  land." 

§5.  The  last  thing  in  the  words  is,  the  commenda- 


Ver.  e.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  159 

tion  of  Abraham's  faith  from  his  unacquaintedness 
with  the  place  whither  he  was  to  go  upon  the  call  of 
God.  He  had  only  said  to  him,  that  he  should  ''go 
into  a  land  that  he  would  shew  him,"  Gen.  xii.  It 
should  seem,  indeed,  that  God  had  told  him  from  the 
beginning,  it  was  the  land  of  Canaan  he  designed;  for 
when  he  first  left  ,Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  he  directed  his 
course  towards  Canaan,  Gen.  xi,  31;  butyet  it  is  said  he 
knew  it  not.  He  did  not  understand  any  thing  of  the 
circumstances  of  it,  what  in  that  land  he  was  called  to, 
nor  where  it  was;  so  that  it  may  be  well  said,  that  "he 
went  whither  he  knew  not."  The  sum  is,that  he  wholly 
committed  himself  to  the  power,  faithfulness,  goodness, 
and  good  conduct  of  God,  without  the  least  encourage- 
ment from  a  prospect  of  the  place  whither  he  was  going. 

All  these  things  being  put  together — what  he  was 
called  from,  what  he  was  called  to,  his  readiness  in 
obedience,  the  ground  of  his  whole  undertaking,  which 
was  the  call  of  God,  which  he  received  and  obeyed 
by  faith — here  is  not  only  an  eminent  instance  of  his 
faith  recorded,  but  an  invincible  encouragement  given 
to  those  Hebrews,  and  to  us,  that  faith  is  able  to  carry 
us  through  all  the  difficulties  of  our  profession,  unto 
the  full  enjoyment  of  the  promise.  This  I  look  upon 
as  a  second  instance  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  wherein 
it  was  signally  exemplary:  he  did  not  only,  on  the  first 
call  of  God,  through  a  view  of  his  greatness  and  sove- 
reign authority, ybre^o  all  he  had,  but  engage  himself 
to  absolute  obedience,  without  any  prospect  what  it 
might  cost  him;  and  is  not  the  same  required  of  us? 

§6.  (H.)  We  wsiy  now  observe, 

1.  It  becomes  the  infinite  greatness  and  all-satisfac- 
tory goodness  of  God,  at  the  first  revelation  of  himself 
unto  any  of  his  creatures,  to  require  of  them  a  renun- 
ciation of  all  other  things,  and  their  interests  in  them, 
in  compliance  with  his  commands.  Get  thee  away  from 


160  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  li 

country,  friends,  relations,  and  enjoyments,  is  a  com- 
mand becoming  the  greatness  of  God.  "I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,"  is  the  first  word  to  us;  and  the  next  is^ 
"Thou  shait  have  no  other  gods  but  me;"  with  me,  be- 
fore me,  besides  me;  nothing  to  be  in  my  place,  in 
comparison  of  me,  in  competition  with  me;  forsake  all 
and  be  mine  only.  Unless  we  have  a  sense  of  that 
greatness  of  God,  making  such  commands  to  become 
him,  we  yield  no  obedience  to  him  in  a  due  manner. 

2.  The  power  of  sovereign  grace  in  calling  men  to 
God,  and  the  power  of  faith  complying  with  it,  is 
mightily  efficacious.  Whilst  Abraham  lived  with  his 
father  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  ''they  served  other 
gods;"  Josh,  xxiv,  2,  or  were  engaged  in  the  supersti- 
tion and  idolatry  then  prevalent  in  the  world.  And 
the  minds  of  men  being  once  thoroughly  infected  with 
them,  as  having  received  them  by  tradition  from  their 
fathers,  are  very  hardly  recovered  from  their  snares, 
in  this  state  he  had  all  worldly  accommodations  that 
his  own  country  and  kindred  could  afford  him;  yet, 
such  was  the  powerful  efficacy  of  sovereign  grace  in 
his  call,  that  it  enabled  him,  by  faith,  to  relinquish  all, 
and  to  betake  himself,  at  once,  into  a  new  state  and 
condition,  as  to  things  temporal  and  eternal.  It  is  well 
if  all  of  us,  who  make  profession  of  the  same  faith,  have 
an  experience  of  the  same  grace. 

3.  It  is  the  call  of  God  alone  that  makes  a  distinc- 
tion amongst  mankind,  as  to  faith,  obedience,  and 
their  effects.  Abraham  thus  believed  and  obeyed  God, 
because  he  was  called;  and  he  was  called,  not  because 
he  was  better  or  wiser  than  others,  but  because  it 
pleased  God  to  call  him,'and  not  others,  lCor.i,31 — 36. 

4.  The  church  of  believers  consists  of  those  that  are 
called  out  of  the  world.  The  call  of  Abraham  is  a 
pattern  of  the  call  of  the  church,  Psal.  xlv,  10;  2  Cor. 
vi,  17,  18. 


Ver.  8.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  161 

5.  Self-denial,  in  fact,  or  resolution,  is  the  founda- 
tion of  all  sincere  profession:  this  Abraham  began  his 
profession  with,  and  proceeded  to  the  noblest  instances. 
The  instruction  our  Savior  gives  herein.  Matt,  x,  37, 
38,  and  xvi,  24,  25,  amounts  but  to  this:  if  you  intend 
to  have  the  faith  of  Abraham,  with  the  fruits  and 
blessings  attending  it,  you  must  lay  the  foundation  of 
it  in  self-denial,  and  the  relinquishment  of  all  things, 
if  called  to  it,  as  he  did.  Wherefore,  the  faith  of 
Abraham  being  every  where  in  scripture  set  up  as  the 
measure  and  standard  of  the  faith  of  believers  in  all 
ages,  and  the  apostle  in  this  place  giving  us  an  account 
of  the  beginning  and  progress  of  it  for  our  example, 
there  is  nothing  that  belongs  more  directly  to  the  ex- 
position of  the  place,  than  a  due  observation  of  its  na- 
ture, actings,  and  effects  for  our  instruction,  without 
which  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  context  is 
not  understood,  though  expositors  take  very  little  no- 
tice of  these  things.  Now  the  foundation  of  it  is  laid 
in  this, — That  the  first  act  of  saving  faith  consists  in 
the  discovery  of  the  infinite  greatness,  goodness,  and 
other  excellencies  of  the  divine  nature,  so  as  to  judge 
it  our  duty,  upon  his  call,  his  command,  and  promise, 
to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  relinquish  all  things;  and 
then,  as  occasion  offers,  to  do  so  accordingly. 

§7.  1.  There  is  no  claim  of  right,  title,  or  possession, 
that  can  stand  against  the  righteousness  of  God  in  the 
disposal  of  all  inheritances  here  below  at  his  pleasure. 
Whatever  single  persons,  whatever  whole  nations,  may 
think  or  boast  of  their  title  and  right,  as  to  Godthey 
are  all  but  tenants  at  will;  he  can  disinherit  and  dis- 
seisin them  of  all,  as  he  seems  good:  and  when  he  will 
do  so,  (of  which  he  gives  instances  in  all  ages)  no  plea 
will  be  admitted  against  his  right,  or  the  exercise  of  it. 
So  do  kings  hold  their  crowns,  nations  their  soil,  and 
private  men  their  possessions. 


162  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  €hap.  II. 

2.  God's  grant  of  things  to  any  is  the  best  of  titles, 
and  most  sure  against  all  pretences  and  impeachments; 
Judges  xi,  24,  ''We  will  possess  what  the  Lord  our 
God  gives  us  to  possess." 

3.  Possession  belongs  to  an  inheritance  enjoyed. 
This  God  gave  to  Abraham  in  his  posterity,  with  a 
mighty  hand  and  stretched  out  arm;  and  he  divided  it 
unto  them  by  lot. 

4.  An  inheritance  is  capable  of  a  limited  season. 
So  was  it  with  this  inheritance;  for  although  it  is  call- 
ed an  everlasting  inheritance,  yet  it  was  so  only  be- 
cause it  was  typical  of  that  heavenly  inheritance  which 
is  properly  eternal;  and  because  as  to  right  and  title  it 
was  to  be  continued  to  the  end  of  that  limited  perpetu- 
ity which  God  granted  to  the  church  state  in  that  land; 
that  is,  to  the  coming  of  the  promised  seed,  in  whom 
all  nations  shoaiJ  be  blessed;  which  the  call  and  faith 
of  Abraham  principally  regarded.  Many  incursions 
were  made  upon  it,  but  they  who  made  them  were 
punished  for  their  usurpation;  yet  when  the  grant  of 
it  to  them  expired,  and  those  wicked  tenants  of  God's 
vineyard  forfeited  their  right  to  it  by  their  unbelief, 
and  murdering  the  true  heir;  God  disinherited  them, 
dispossessed  them,  and  left  them  neither  right  nor  in- 
terest in  this  inheritance  as  at  this  day.  It  is  no  more 
the  inheritance  of  Abraham;  but  in  Christ  he  is  be- 
come heir  of  the  wor^ld,  and  his  spiritual  posterity  en- 
joy  all  the  privileges  of  it.  Nor  have  the  present  Jews 
any  more  title  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  than  to  any 
other  country  in  the  world.  Nor  shall  their  title  be 
renewed  upon  their  conversion  to  God;  for  their  right 
was  limited  to  that  time  wherein  it  was  typical  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance;  that  now  ceasing  for  ever,  there 
can  be  no  special  title  to  it  revived. 

|8.    Hence  we  may  infer. 


Vkr.  9.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  163 

1.  That  it  is  faith  alone  gives  the  soul  the  satisfac- 
tion in  future  rewards,  in  the  midst  of  present  difficul- 
ties and  distresses.  So  it  did  to  Abraham,  who,  in 
the  whole  course  of  his  pilgrimage,  attained  nothing  of 
this  promised  inheritance.     And, 

2.  The  assurance  given  us  by  divine  promises,  is 
sufficient  to  encourage  us  to  the  most  difficult  course 
of  obedience. 

VERSE  9. 

By  faith  he  sojourned  in  the  land  of  firomise  as  in  a  strange 
country,  dwelling  in  tabernacles.,  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the 
heirs  with  him  of  the  same  firomise. 

§\ — 3.  Exposition  of  the  words.  $4.  The  matter  contained  in  them.  §5.  (I.) 
The  internal  principle  of  Abraham's  pilgrimage.  ^6.  (II.)  The  externji 
part  of  it.    §r.  (III.)  Observations. 

§1.  Having  declared  the  foundation  of  Abraham's 
faith,  and  given  the  first  signal  instance  of  it,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  declare  his  progress  in  its  exercise: 

(napw'/vi(Tfv)  he  sojourned;  the  original  word  {irupoi- 
yieu,  commoror)  signifies  to  abide  as  a  stranger.  Luke 
xxiv,  18;  Eu  y.Q'^ov  zupomeTg  "■Art  thou  only  a  stranger 
in  Jerusalem?"  A  sojourner  there  for  a  season,  not 
an  inhabitant  in  the  place?  Wherefore  he  abode  as  a 
stranger  J  not  as  a  free  denison  of  the  place;  not  as  an 
inheritor,  for  he  had  no  inheritance,  not  a  foot  breadth 
in  that  place,  Acts  vii,  5.  Not  as  a  constant  inhabi- 
tant or  house  dxceller,  but  as  a  stranger  that  moved  up 
and  down  as  he  had  occasion.  "In  the  land  of  promise;" 
(bis  tv|v  yv]v  for  ev  tvj  yvj,  Vi>^i<3)  in  the  land;  see  Acts  vii, 
6,  "The  land  {ng  vjv  u/xf/?  vw  nuloiyieile)  wherein  you  now 
dwell."  And  from  the  use  of  the  Hebrew  particle 
(D)  the  Greek  preposition  (sig)  is  frequently  put  for  the 
other  (fv)  in  the  New  Testament,  and  the  reverse. 
Wherefore  not  the  removal  of  Abraham  in  that  land 
which  he  had  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  verse,  but 

VOL.  IV.  21 


164  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ckap.  IL 

his  abode  as  a  stranger,  a  foreigner,  a  pilgrim  in  it,  is 
intended;  and  this  was  the  land  (tii?  eiruyyeKiccg)  of 
promise;  that  is,  which  God  had  newly  promised  to 
give  him,  and  wherein  all  the  other  promises  were  to 
be  accomplished. 

He  sojourned  in  this  place  [uq  uhKolpiuv)  us  in  a 
strange  land.  He  built  no  house  in  it,  purchased  no 
inheritance  but  only  a  burying  place;  he  entered,  in- 
deed, into  leagues  of  peace  and  amity  with  some.  Gen. 
xiv,  13;  but  it  was  not  as  one  that  had  any  thing  of 
his  own  in  the  land.  He  reckoned  that  land  at  pres- 
ent no  more  his  own  than  any  other  land  in  the  world, 
no  more  than  Egypt  was  the  land  of  his  posterity  when 
they  sojourned  there,  which  God  had  said,  was  not 
theirs.  Gen.  xv,  13. 

§2.  The  manner  of  his  sojourning  in  this  land  w^as 
that  (fv  a-xvivccig  'AciloiMViaeig)  he  dwelt  in  tabernacles.  It 
was  no  unusual  thing  in  those  days,  and  in  those  parts 
of  the  world,  for  whole  nations  to  dwell  in  such  habi- 
tations. Why  Abraham  was  satisfied  with  this  kind 
of  life,  the  apostle  declares  in  the  next  verse;  and  he  is 
said  to  dwell  in  tabernacles,  or  tents,  because  the  large- 
ness of  his  family  required  more  than  one,  Gen.  xxiv, 
67;  xxxi,  33;  and  with  respect  to  their  moveable  con- 
ditions in  these  tents,  God  in  an  especial  manner,  was 
said  to  be  their  dwelling  place,  Psal.  xc,  1. 

^3.  ^'With  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of 
the  same  promise  "  It  is  evident  that  Abraham  lived 
until  Jacob  was  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  old;  and 
therefore  may  be  said  to  live  with  him,  as  to  the  time 
they  both  lived;  but  there  is  no  need  to  confine  it  to 
the  same  time;  the  sameness  of  condition  only  seems 
to  be  intended;  for  as  Abraham  was  a  sojourner  in  the 
land  of  Canaan  without  any  inheritance  or  possession, 
living  in  tents;  so  it  was  also  with  Isaac  and  Jacob? 


Ver.  9.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  16^ 

and  with  them  alone;  Jacob  was  the  last  of  his  pos- 
terity who  lived  as  a  sojourner  in  Canaan;  all  those 
after  him  lived  in  Egypt,  and  came  not  into  Canaan 
until  they  took  possession  of  it  for  themselves. 

And  they  were  (twv  o-uyKAvipovo/xav  tv\q  exwyyeXiug  tv^q 
«u7vic)  heirs  with  him  of  the  same  promise;  for  not  on- 
ly did  they  inherit  the  promise  as  made  to  Abraham, 
but  God  distinctly  renewed  the  same  promise  to  them 
both;  Gen.  xxvi,  24;  xxviii,  13 — 15.  So  were  they 
heirs  with  him  of  the  very  same  promise,  Psal.  cv,  9 — 
11. 

§4.  The  sense  of  the  words  being  declared,  we  may 
yet  farther  consider  the  matter  contained  in  them. 
We  have  here  an  account  of  the  life  of  Abraham  after 
his  call; — as  to  the  internal  principle  of  it,  being  a  life 
oi  faith;  and — as  to  the  external  manner  of  it,  being  a 
pilgrimage.     "By  faith  he  sojourned." 

§5.  (I.)  As  to  the  niternal  principle,  it  was  a  life  of 
faith. 

1.  It  had  respect  to  things  spiritual  and  eternal;  for 
its  foundation  and  object,  he  had  the  promise  of  the 
blessed  seed,  and  the  spiiitual  blessing  of  all  nations  in 
him;  which  was  a  confirmation  of  the  first  funda- 
mental promise  of  the  church  concerning  the  "seed  of 
the  woman  that  was  to  break  the  serpent's  head." 
And  God  entered  expressly  into  covenant  with  him, 
confirming  it  with  the  seal  of  circumcision,  wherein  he 
obliged  himself  to  be  his  God,  his  God  Almighty,  and 
all-sufficient,  for  his  temporal  and  eternal  good.  To 
suppose  that  Abraham  saw  nothing  in  this  promise 
and  covenant  but  things  confined  to  this  life — nothing 
of  spiritual  grace,  nothing  of  eternal  reward  or  glory — 
is  so  contrary  to  the  analogy  of  faith,  and  to  express 
testimony;  so  destructive  of  all  the  foundations  of  re- 
ligion, so  unworthy  of  the  nature  and  propeities  of 


166  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

God;  rendering  Abraham's  tide  "the  Father  of  the 
faithful,"  and  his  example  in  believing  so  useless,  that 
it  is  a  woiider  men  of  any  tolerable  sobriety  should 
indulge  to  such  an  imagination. 

2.  It  was  a  Ijfe  of  faith  with  respect  to  things  tem- 
poral also;  for  as  he  was  a  sojourner  in  a  strange  land, 
without  friends,  or  relations,  not  incorporated  in  any 
political  society,  or  dwelling  in  any  city,  he  was  ex- 
posed to  danger,  oppression,  and  violence,  as  is  usual 
in  buch  cases;  besides, those  amongst  whom  he  sojourn- 
ed were  for  the  most  part  wicked  and  evil  men,  such 
as,  being  fallen  into  idolatry,  were  apt  to  be  provoked 
agaiiist  him  for  his  profession  of  faith  in  the  most 
High  God.  Hence,  on  some  occurrences  of  his  life, 
that  might  give  them  advantage,  it  is  observed,  as  a 
matter  of  danger,  "the  Canaanite  and  the  Perizzite 
dwelt  then  in  the  land,"  Gen.  xiii,  7;  and  xii,  6;  chap. 
XX,  2;  moreover,  he  had  sundry  particular  trials  where- 
in he  apprehended  that  his  life  was  in  imminent  danger, 
Gen.  xii.  1 1 — 1^;  xx,  2;  but  in  all  these  dangers,  being 
helpless  in  himself,  he  lived  in  the  continual  exercise 
of  fiith  and  tiust  in  God,  his  power,  all-sufficiency,  and 
faithfulness.  Hereof  his  whole  history  is  full  of  in- 
stances, and  his  faith  in  them  is  frequently  celebrated^ 

In  things  of  both  sorts,  spiritual  and  temporal,  he 
lived  by  faith,  in  a  constant  resignation  of  himself 
to  the  sovereign  will  and  pleasure  of  God,  when  he 
saw  no  way  or  means  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
promise;  so  it  was  with  respect  to  the  long  season  that 
he  lived  without  a  child,  and  under  the  command  he 
had  to  offer  him  for  a  sacrifice,  when  he  had  received 
him;  on  all  these  accounts  he  was  the  father,  the  exam- 
ple of  believers  in  all  generations. 

§6.  (II.)  For  the  external  part  or  manner  of  his 
life,  it  was  a,  pilgrimage,  a  sojourning.     Two  things 


Ver.  9.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  167 

constitute  such  a  state  of  life; — that  a  man  be  in  a 
strange  country; — that  he  have  no  fixed  habitation  of 
his  own;  a  man  may  want  a  habitation  of  his  own  as 
his  inheritance,  and  yet,  being  in  his  own  country,  not 
be  a  pilgrim;  and  a  man  may  be  in  a  strange  country, 
and  yet  having  a  fixed  habitation  of  his  own  therein, 
he  may  not  be  a  pilgrim;  but  when  both  these  concur, 
there  is  a  state  of  pilgrimage.  And  so  it  was  with 
Abraham;  he  was  in  a  strange  land,  though  the  land 
of  promise;  for  having  no  interest  in  it,  no  relation,  no 
possession,  no  inheritance,  it  was  to  him  a  strange 
land;  wherefore,  he  had  nothing,  to  trust  to,  but  Di- 
vine protection  alone. 

§7.  (III.)   And  we  may  observe, 

1 .  That  where  faith  enables  men  to  live  to  God,  as 
to  their  eternal  concerns,  it  will  enable  them  to  trust 
him  in  all  the  difficulties  and  hazards  of  this  life.  To 
pretend  a  trust  in  God  as  to  our  souls  and  invisible 
things,  and  not  resign  our  temporal  affairs  with  pa- 
tience and  quietness  to  his  disposal,  is  a  vain  pretence; 
and  we  may  take  hence  an  eminent  trial  of  our  faith; 
too  many  deceive  themselves  with  a  presumption  of 
faith  in  the  promises  of  God,  as  to  things  future  and 
eternal;  for  if  they  are  brought  into  any  temporal  trial, 
they  sesrn  utter  strangers  to  the  life  of  faith.  It  was 
not  so  with  Abraham,  his  faith  acted  itself  uniformly 
with  respect  to  the  jyrovidences  as  well  ?is  the  jjromises 
of  God.     Wherefore, 

2.  If  we  design  to  have  an  interest  in  the  blessings 
of  Abraham,  we  must  walk  in  the  steps  of  his  faith; 
and  to  this  end  is  justly  required — a  firm  affiance  in 
the  promises  for  grace,  mercy,  and  eternal  salvation, 
trust  in  his  providence  for  preservation  and  protection 
in  this  world,  with  a  cheerful  resignation  of  all  our 
temporal  and  eternal  concerns  into  his  disposal,  accord- 


168  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  enAP.  11. 

ing  to  the  tenor  of  the  covenant.  Is  not  the  faith  of 
most  professors  lame  and  halt  in  these  parts  and  du- 
ties of  it? 

3.  Where  faith  is  once  duly  fixed  on  the  promises, 
it  will  wait  patiently  under  trials,  afflictions,  and  temp- 
tations, for  their  full  accomplishment,  see  the  Exposi- 
tion on  chap,  vi,  12,  15. 

4.  Faith  discerning  aright  the  glory  of  spiritual 
promises  will  make  the  soul  of  a  believer  contented 
and  well  satisfied  with  the  smallest  portion  of  earthly 
enjoyments. 


VERSE  10. 

For  he  looked/or  a  city  which   hath  foundations^   whose  builder 

and  maker  is  God. 

§1.  Introduction,    §2.  (I.)  What  the  city  Abraham  looked    for.  §3—5.  (II.) 
What  included  in  the  description  of  it.    ^6.  (III.)  Observations. 


§1.  The  apostle  abundantly  indicates  in  this  dis- 
course, that  Abraham  was  very  well  satisfied  with  his 
condition  as  a  stranger  and  pilgrim  in  the  world,  and 
now  he  proceeds  to  declare  the  grounds  and  reasons 
of  that  satisfaction;  he  knows  that  his  portion  did  not 
lie  in  things  here  below,  but  he  looked  for  things  of 
another  nature,  which  by  this  means  were  to  be  ob- 
tained; for  it  is  the  end  that  regulates  our  judgment 
concerning  the  means.     Let  us  briefly  inquire, 

I.  What  the  city  is,  which  he  looked  for? 

II.  What  is  included  in  the  description  of  it? 

§2.  "For  he  looked  for  a  city;"  (tv^v  xoA/v)  that  city; 
the  article  prefixed  denoting  an  eminency.  Jerusalem, 
saith  Grotius,  and  he  so  interprets  the  words,  as  if 
Abraham  hoped  that  his  posterity  should  have  in  the 
land  of  promise  a  city  that  God  would  prepare  them 
in  a  special  manner. 


Vkk.  !••        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  169 

1.  This  is  expressly  contrary  to  the  exposition  giv- 
en by  the  apostle  himself  of  this  expression,  ver.  16. 

2.  It  is  not  suitable  to  God's  dealing  with  Abraham, 
and  to  the  nature  and  effects  of  the  holy  patriarch's 
faith,  that  he  should  have  nothing  to  encourage  him 
in  his  pilgrimage,  but  an  hope  that  after  many  gener- 
ations his  posterity  should  have  a  city  to  dwell  in,  in 
the  land  of  Canaan,  wherein  the  condition  of  most  of 
them  was  not  better  than  his  in  tents? 

3.  The  sense  of  that  expression,  "whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God,"  is  the  same  with  chap,  viii,  2;  "which 
the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man." 

4.  To  suppose  that  this  was  only  an  earthly  city, 
not  to  be  possessed  by  his  posterity  until  eight  hun- 
dred years  afterwards,  and  that  but  for  a  limited  time, 
is  utterly  to  overthrow  his  faith,  the  nature  of  the 
covenant  of  God  with  him,  and  his  being  an  example 
to  gospel  believers,  as  he  is  here  proposed  to  be. 

This  city,  therefore,  which  Abraham  looked  for,  is 
that  heavenly  city,  that  everlasting  mansion  which  God 
hath  provided  and  prepared  for  all  true  believers  with 
himself  after  this  life,  ver.  16;  it  is  also  sometimes  cal- 
led a  tabernacle,  sometimes  an  house,  sometimes  a 
mansion,  2  Cor.  v,  i;  Luke  xvi,  9;  John  xiv,  2;  it  be- 
ing the  place  of  their  everlasting  abode,  rest,  and  re- 
freshment; and  herein  is  comprised  the  whole  reward 
and  glory  of  heaven  in  the  enjoyment  of  God;  with 
the  expectation  hereof  did  Abraham  and  the  following 
patriarchs  support,  refresh,  and  satisfy  themselves  in 
the  midst  of  all  the  toil  and  labor  of  their  pilgrimage. 
§3.  (II.)  As  to  the  description  of  this  city,  the ^?'5^ 
partis  taken  from  the  nature  of  it,  being  such  as  [rovg 
Sfjxf A/8?  «%8c-fi5v)  hath  foundations.  It  is  generally 
granted  that  here  is  an  opposition  to  tents  or  taberna- 
cles, (in  which  Abraham   sojourned)  which  had  n9 


170  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

foundation,  being  supported  only  by  stakes  and  cords; 
but  the  special  nature  of  the  foundation  of  this  city  is 
intended,  in  comparison  of  which  the  foundations  of 
other  cities  laid  in  stone  and  mortar  are  none  at  all;  for 
experience  manifests  how  temporary  and  subject  to 
ruin  they  all  are;  but  these  foundations  are  such  as 
give  perpetuity,  yea,  eternity, to  the  superstructure,even 
all  that  are  built  upon  them;  wherefore  these  founda- 
tions are  the  eternal  po-m^er,  the  infinite  wisdom,  and 
immutable  counsel  of  God.  On  these  is  the  heav- 
enly city  founded  and  established;  the  purpose  of  God 
in  his  wisdom,  and  power  to  make  the  heavenly  state 
of  believers  immutable  and  eternal,  subject  to  no 
change,  is  the  immoveable  foundation  of  the  city  we 
look  for  by  faith. 

§4.  The  second  part  of  the  description  is  from  the 
maker  and  builder  of  it — "  Gorf."  Most  expositors 
judge  that  both  the  words  here  used  are  of  the  same 
signification;  and  indeed  the  difference  between  them 
is  not  material,  if  there  be  any.  properly  the  one  is 
[rexvilv^Q  artijex)  he  who  in  building  projecteth  and  de- 
signeth  the  whole  frame  and  fabric;  that  regularly 
disposeth  of  it  according  to  the  rules  of  art;  and  the 
other  is  {^V;ixis^yog  condiior)  the  builder  or  maker; 
that  is,  he  whose  the  whole  work  is,  at  whose  charge, 
and  for  whose  service  it  is  made. 

Between  these  two,  the  (architect  and  proprietor) 
there  are  in  other  buildings  those  who  actually  labor 
in  the  work  itself,  the  workmen;  there  is  nothing  said 
of  them;  for  tliis  building  is  erected  by  a  mere  word 
of  infinite  and  sovereign  power,  without  labor  or  toil; 
— Let  it  be  so,  and  it  was  so;  wherefore,  God  alone  is 
the  only  contriver  and  erector  of  the  heavenly  city, 
without  the  least  concurrence  of  other  agents,  without 
the  least  use  of  any  instrument; — in  short,  it  is  the 


Ver    10.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  J7i 

habitation  of  God  himself,  with  all  that  enjoy  his  pres- 
ence, and  the  polity  which  is  suited  to  it.  Oh,  desira- 
ble abode!  Oh,  ineffable  effect  of  infinite  wisdom,  pow- 
er, and  grace! 

§5.  Of  this  city  it  is  said  that  Abraham  by  faith 
{eiehx^fa)  looked  for  it;  that  is,  he  believed  eternal  rest 
with  God  in  heaven,  wherewith  he  comfortably  and 
constantly  sustained  the  trouble  of  his  pilgrimage;  2 
Cor.  iv,  16,  17,  "For  which  cause  we  faint  not;  but 
though  our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man 
is  renewed  day  by  day;  for  our  light  affliction,  which 
is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory;  while  we  look 
not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 
which  are  not  seen,  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are 
temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eter- 
nal." This  is  a  full  description  of  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, in  the  operation  and  effect  here  ascribed  to  it 
by  the  apostle;  and  herein  it  is  exemplary  and  encour- 
aging to  all  believers  L»nder  their  present  trials  apd 
sufferings,  which  is  the  apostle's  present  design. 

§G.  (III.)  Hence  observe  the  ensuing  particulars, 

1.  A  certain  expectation  of  the  heavenly  reward 
grounded  on  the  promises  and  covenant  of  God,  is 
sufficient  to  support  and  encourage  the  souls  of  believ- 
ers under  all  their  trials  in  the  whole  course  of  their 
obedience. 

2.  Heaven  is  a  settled,  quiet  habitation.  How  suit- 
able a  dwelling  then  for  them  who  have  a  life  of 
trouble,  and  little  but  trouble  in  this  world! 

3.  All  stability,  all  perpetuity  in  every  state  here  and 
hereafter,  ariseth  from  the  purpose  of  God. 

4.  This  is  that  which  recommends  to  us  the  city  of 
God,  the  heavenly  state,  that  it  is  as  the  work  of  God 
alone,  so  the  principal  effect  of  his  wisdom  and  power. 

VOL.  IV.  22 


172  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  €iiap.  U. 

5.  A  constant  expectation  of  eternal  reward  argues 
a  vigorous  exercise  of  faith,  and  a  sedulous  attendance 
upon  all  the  duties  of  obedience;  for  without  these  it 
will  not  be  raised  nor  preserved,  2  Cor.  iv,  16, 17;  1 
John,  iii,  1 — 3. 

VERSE  11. 

Through  faith  also  Sarah  herself  received  strength  to  conceive 
seed,  and  was  delivered  of  a  child  nvhen  she  nvas  fiast  age;  be- 
cause she  judged  him  faithful  wAo  had  firomtsed. 

§1.  Transition  and  connexion.  §2.  (I.)  Exposition.  Sarah.  §3.  Remarks  oi» 
her  faith.     §4-  The  effects,  and  §5.  Foundation  of  it.    §6.  (11.)  Observations. 

|1.  Here  he  proceeds  to  the  instances  of  his  faith 
with  respect  to  the  promise  made  him,  that  in  his  seed 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  And 
these  also  are  two; — that  which  concerneth  the  birth 
of  Isaac,  by  whom  the  promise  was  to  have  its  accom- 
plishment; and — what  he  did  by  faith  in  offering  up 
the  son  of  the  promise  at  the  command  of  God. 

In  the  first  of  these,  Abraham  was  not  alone,  but 
Sarah  his  wife  was  both  naturally  and  spiritually  no 
less  concerned  than  himself.  Wherefore  the  apostle  in 
the  midst  of  his  discourse  concerning  Abraham  and  his 
faith,  in  thisi  one  instance  introduceth  Sarah,  with  great 
propriety,  in  conjunction  with  him. 

§2.  [Kui  civl'/\  S^ppa)  and,  or  also,  Sarah  herself;  as 
Abraham  was  the  father  of  the  faithful,  or  the  church, 
so  she  was  the  mother  of  it,  so  as  that  the  distinct  men- 
tion of  her  faith  was  necessary.  She  was  the  free 
woman  from  whence  the  church  sprung,  Gal.  iv,  22, 23; 
and  all  believing  women  are  her  daughters,  1  Pet.  iii,  6; 
see  Gen.xvii,  16.  Her  working  and  obedience  is  propos- 
ed to  the  church  as  an  example,  and  therefore  her  faith 
also  may  justly  be  so;  1  Pet.  iii,  5,  6;  besides,  she  was 
equally  concerned  in  the  divine  revelation  with  Abra- 
ham, and  was  as  sensible  of  great  difficulties  in  its  ac- 


Ver.  11.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  173 

complishment  as  Abraham,  if  not  more;  to  which  we 
may  add,that  the  blessing  of  the  promised  seed  was  con- 
fined and  appropriated  to  Sarah  no  less  than  to  Abra- 
ham; Gen.  xvii,  16,  'I  will  bless  her,  yea,  I  will  bless 
her,  and  she  shall  be  a  mother  of  nations."  Herein  her 
faith  was  necessary,  and  is  here  honorably  recorded. 

§3.  Something  may  be  remarked  in  the  very  pro- 
posing of  this  instance; 

1.  It  is  the  faith  of  a  woman  that  is  celebrated. 
Hence  that  sex  may  learn,  that  they  also  may  be  e.i'- 
amples  of  faith  to  the  whole  church,  as  Sarah  was;  and 
it  is  necessary  for  their  encouragement,  because  of  the 
special  concernment  of  their  sex  in  the  first  ei  trance 
of  sin;  because  of  their  natural  weakness,  subject  in  a 
peculiar  manner  to  various  temptations,  which  in  this 
example  they  are  encouraged  to  conflict  with  and  over- 
come by  faith.  Whence  it  is  that  they  are  heirs,  to- 
gether with  their  believing  husbands,  of  the  grace  of 
life,  1  Pet.  iii,  7. 

2.  Here  is  a  single  commendation  of  the  faith  of 
Sarah,even  in  that  very  instance  wherein  it  was  shaken; 
yea,  being  awakened  by  reproof.  Gen.  xviii,  13,  14; 
and  receiving  a  fuller  evidence  that  it  was  the  Lord 
who  spoke  to  her,  she  recovered  herself,  and  rested  by 
faith  in  his  power  and  truth. 

3.  The  carriage  of  Sarah  is  twice  repeated  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  here  and  1  Pet.  iii,  6,  and  in  both  places 
only  what  was  good — her  faith  towards  God  on  her 
recovery  after  the  reiii'oof,  and  her  observance  of 
her  husband,  whom,  speaking  to  himself,  she  called 
Lord — is  mentioned  and  proposed  without  tlic  least  re- 
membrance of  her  failing  or  miscarriage;  and  such  will 
be  the  judgment  of  Christ  at  the  last  day,  concerning 
all  those  whose  faith  and  obedience  are  sincere,  though 
^accompanied  with  many  failings. 


174  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  II. 

§4.  "She  received  strength;"  (eXulie)  she  received  it; 
she  had  it  in  a  way  of  free  gift;  {^vvcn/.iv)  strength^ 
power,  and  ability.  I  believe  that  this  was  not  a  mere 
miraculous  generation,  but  that  she  received  a  general 
restoration  of  her  nature  for  its  primitive  operations, 
which  was  before  decayed;  as  Abraham  atterwards, 
who,  after  his  body  was  in  a  manner  dead,  received 
strength  to  have  many  children  by  Keturah;  (E/c 
nalK^oKviv  axipyi^ulos)  to  conceive  seed,  a  child,  in  a  natural 
way  and  manner;  she  conceived  and  accordingly  bore 
a  son,  Gen.  xxii,  2. 

That  which  is  eminent  herein,  manifesting  that  it 
was  a  mere  effect  of  faith,  is,  that  it  was  thus  with 
her  (T«pa  yiuipov  viKmug)  after  the  season  of  age  was  past. 
So  the  apostle  expounds  that  passage  in  Moses,  "Sarah 
was  old  and  well  stricken  in  age,  and  it  ceased  to  be 
with  her  after  the  manner  of  women,"  Gen.  xviii,  11, 
12.  She  was  ninety  years  old  at  that  time,  Gen.  xvii, 
17;  and  this  at  first  shook  her  faith,  for  want  of  a  due 
consideration  of  the  omnipotency  of  God;  "Is  anything 
too  hard  for  the  Lord?"  Gen.  xviii,  14.  She  consider- 
ed not,  that  where  divine  veracity  was  engaged  by 
promise,  infinite  power  would  be  also  engaged  to  make 
it  good. 

§5.  "Because  she  judged  him  faithful  who  had  prom- 
ised; {s%si,  quoniam)  because;  signifying  the  reason  of 
wliat  was  before  asserted;  {viyvjirulo)  she  judged;  she 
reckoned,  esteemed,  reputed  him  to  be  so.  And  herein 
the  nature  of  true  faith  in  general  doth  consist,  viz.  in 
"the  mind's  judging  and  determining  upon  the  evidence 
proposed;"  when  she  recollected  herself,  and  took  off 
her  mind  from  the  thing  promised  to  the  special  object 
of  her  faith;  (tov  BzwyyeKhoixsvov)  the promiser,  who  was 
God  himself,  faith  prevailed;  she  then  came  to  this 
resolution — whatever  difficulties  or  oppositions  lie  in 


Ver.II.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  175 

the  way  of  accomplishing  the  promise,  he  who  made 
it  is  able  to  remove  them  all;  and  she  farther  conclu- 
ded, on  the  surest  grounds,  that  he  would  make  good 
his  word  wherein  he  had  caused  her  to  put  her  trust; 
"because  she  judged  him  who  had  promised  {%ialov) 
faithful."     Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord? 

§6.   (I.)  From  this  account  of  Sarah's  faith  observe; 

1.  Faith  may  be  sorely  shaken  and  tossed  with  diffi- 
culties, at  their  appearance,  lying  in  the  way  of  the 
promise,  which  yet  at  last  it  shall  overcome;  sometimes 
the  weakness  of  faith  ariseth  to  a  distrust  of  the  event 
of  promises,  or  their  accomplishment,  because  of  the 
difficulties  that  lie  in  the  way,  Luke  i,  18 — 20.  So 
was  it  with  Sarah  on  this  occasion,  for  which  she  was 
reproved;  and  this  at  times  is  found  in  us  all.  It  is 
therefore  our  duty  to  watch  that  our  faith  be  not  sur- 
prised, or  shaken  by  the  appearance  of  difficulties  and 
opposition;  and  not  to  despond  utterly  on  account  of 
any  partial  failure,  for  it  is  in  its  very  nature,  by  the  use 
of  means,  to  recover  its  vigor  and  efficacy. 

2.  It  is  no  defect  in  faith  not  to  expect  events  and  bles- 
sings absolutely  above  the  use  of  means,  unless  we  have 
a  particular  warranty  for  it;  as  Sarah  had  in  this 
case. 

3.  The  duty  and  use  of  faith  about  temporal  mercies 
are  to  be  regulated  by  the  general  rules  of  the  word 
where  no  special  providence  makes  the  application  of 
a  promise. 

4.  The  mercy  here  spoken  of  concerning  a  son  to 
Abraham  by  Sarah  his  wife  was  absolutely  decreed, 
and  absolutely  promised;  yet  God  indispensably  re- 
quires faith  in  them  for  the  fulfilling  of  that  decree 
and  the  accomplishment  of  that  promise. 

5.  That  the  formal  object  of  faith  in  the  divine 
promises  is — not  the  things  promised  in  the  first  place, 


176  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  H, 

but — God  himself  \n  his  essential  excellencies  of  truth 
or  faithfulness  and  power.  To  fix  our  minds  on  the 
things  themselves  promised,  to  have  an  expectation  or 
supposition  of  the  enjoyment  of  them,  (suppose  mercy, 
grace,  pardon,  glory,)  without  a  previous  acquiescency 
of  mind  in  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God,  or  on 
God  himself,  as  faithful  and  able  to  accomplish  them, 
istbut  a  deceiving  imagination. 

6.  Every  promise  of  God  hath  this  consideration 
tacitly  annexed  to  it,  "Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the 
Lord?"  There  is  no  divine  promise,  when  it  comes  to 
the  trial,  as  to  our  closing  with  it,  but  we  apprehend 
as  great  a  difficulty  and  improbability  of  its  accomplish- 
ment to  us,  as  Sarah  did  of  this.  Poor,  humbled, 
broken  souls,  burdened  with  sins,  and  entangled  in 
their  own  darkness,  find  insuperable  difficulties,  as  they 
apprehend,  in  the  way  of  accomplishing  the  promises. 
But — "is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord?" 

7.  Although  tlie  veracity  and  faithfulness  of  God 
be  in  a  peculiar  manner  the  immediate  object  of  our 
faith,  yet  it  takes  in  the  consideration  of  all  other  di- 
vine excellencies  for  its  encouragement  and  corrobora- 
tion; and  all  of  them  together  are  that  name  of  God, 
whereon  a  believing  soul  stays  itself  in  all  extremities, 
Isa.  i,  10.     And, 

8.  This  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from 
faith  to  faith;  that  is,  the  righteousness  of  Christ  as 
tendered  in  the  promise,  is  made  known  and  commu- 
nicated from  the  faith  of  God  therein  to  the  faith  of 
them  by  whom  it  is  believed, 


Ver.  12.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  177 


VEIISE  12. 

Therefore  sfirang  there  even  of  one.,  and  him  as  good  as  dead,  «• 
many  as  the  stars  of  the  sky  in  multitude,  and  as  the  sand  which 
is  by  the  sea-shore,  imnimerable. 

§1.  Connexion.  $2,  3.  (I.)  Exposition.  The  fruit  of  Abraham's  faith.  §4.  His 
aumerous  posterity.    §5.  (11.)  Observations. 

§1.  In  this  verse  we  have  an  illustration  of  the  fry^t 
of  faith  by  an  eminent  consequent  ot*  it, — the  innu- 
merable posterity  of  Abraham;  and,  indeed,  this  may 
be  called  the  gratuitous  remuneration  of  faith,  al- 
though it  be  not  added  particularly,  that  it  was  by 
'•faith."     For  it  was  expressly  contained  in  the  prom- 
ise to  Abraham,  which  he  "received  by  faith."  Where- 
fore the  belief  thereof  belonged  to  that  faith  of  Abra- 
ham for  which  he  is  commended;  and  it  had  its  pe- 
culiar difficulties  also,  that  rendered  it  both  acceptable 
and  commendable.     For  whereas  he  himself  had  but 
one  son  by  virtue  of  the  promise,  it  was  not  easy  for 
him  to  apprehend  how  he  should  have  such  an  innii' 
merahle  postei  ity.     And  it  may  be  observed,  that  the 
first  testimony  given  to  the  justification  of  Abraham 
by  faith,  was  upon  his  belief  of  this  part  of  the  prom- 
ise, that  "his  seed  should  be  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  that 
cannot  be  numbered;"   for  it  is  immediately  added, 
that  "he  believed  in  the  Lord,  and  he  counted  it  to 
him  for  righteousness,"   Gen.  xv,  5,  0.     For  although 
this  promise  concerned  things  temporal,  yet  it  belonged 
to  the  way  of  redemption  by  Christ,  the  promised 
seed;  so  that  justifijing  faith  may  act  itself,  and  be  an 
evidence  of  our  justification,  when  we  believe  promises 
even  about  temporal  mercies,  as  they  belong  to  the 
covenant;   whereof  we  have  innumerable    examples 
under  the  Old  Testament. 


178  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11 

§2.  (I.)  "Therefore  sprang,"  &c.  The  note  of  in- 
ference (§/o)  therefore,  respects  not  a  consequence  in 
the  way  of  reasoning,  but  the  introduction  of  another 
matter;  also  the  particle  (/«/)  and,  in  the  original  is  not 
conjunctive,  but  emphatical  only.  The  blessing  here 
declared  as  a  fruit  of  faith  is  a  numerous  posterity;  not 
only  had  Abraham  and  Sarah  one  son  upon  their  be- 
lieving, but  by  him  a  numerous,  yea,  an  innumerable 
posterity. 

But  it  may  be  inquired,  whence  this  should  be  such 
a  blessing,  as  to  be  celebrated  amongst  the  most  emi- 
nent fruits  of  faith,  and  as  the  subject  of  a  solemn  di- 
vine promise?  I  answer,  because  the  whole  church  of 
God,  the  true  worshippers  of  him  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, was  confined  to  the  posterity  of  Abraham; 
therefore  was  their  multiplication  a  singular  blessing, 
which  all  the  faithful  prayed  for,  and  rejoiced  in.  So 
is  it  stated  by  Moses,  Deut.  i,  10,  11,  *'The  Lord  your 
God  hath  multiplied  you,  and  behold  you  are  this  day 
as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude.  The  Lord  God 
of  your  fathers  make  you  a  thousand  times  so  many 
more  as  ye  are,  and  bless  you  as  he  hath  promised 
you." 

§3.  "Therefore  sprang  there  even  of  one,  and  him 
as  good  as  dead."  The  root  of  this  numerous  posterity 
is  but  one — Abraham.  Unto  him  alone  was  the  great 
promise  of  the  blessing  seed  now  confined,  and  yet  he 
was  heir  of  all  the  promises.  Of  him  as  good  as  dead, 
Rom.  iv,  19,  ((70jxfi5  viJvi  v£vfj{pw/xevov)  "his  body  being 
now  dead,"  brought  towards  death,  made  impotent  by 
age,  being  about  an  hundred  years  old. 

§4.  "So  many  as  the  stars  of  the  sky  in  number;" 
(tu  ujlspa  TH  spuva)  the  stars  of  heaven.  This  expres- 
sion was  first  used  by  God  himself,  who  commanded 
Abraham  to  go  out,  or  brought  him  forth  abroad,  and 


Ver.  13.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  179 

bad  him  look  towards  heaven,  and  tell  the  stars,  if  he 
were  able  to-  number  them..  Now  it  is  evident,  that 
in  a  naked  view  of  them,  and  without  the  rules  of  art, 
(as  they  were  shewn  to  Abraham)  there  can  be  no 
greater  appearance  of  what  is  absolutely  innumerable. 
JBesides,  I  judge  that  in  this  comparison  not  only  their 
number,  but  also  their  beauty  and  order  are  respected. 

In  the  other  allusion  they  are  declared  to  be  abso- 
lutely innumerable.  It  is  not  said,  that  they  shalFbe 
"as  many  as  the  sand  by  the  sea-shore,"  but  as  innu- 
merable. To  which  the  event  wonderfully  correspond- 
ed. And  hence  proceeded  the  miraculous  multiplica- 
tion of  the  posterity  of  Jacob  in  Egypt;  for,  from  sev^ 
enty-five  persons,  sprang,  in  little  more  than  two  hun- 
dred yearf,  six  hundred  thousand  men,  besides  women 
and  children. 

§5.  (II.)  Here  observe, 

1.  When  God  is  pleased  to  increase  his  church  in 
number,  it  is  on  various  accounts  a  matter  of  rejoicing 
to  all  believers;  and  a  subject  of  their  daily  prayers,  as 
what  is  frequently  promised  in  the  word  of  truth. 

2.  God  oftentimes  by  nature  works  things  above 
the  power  of  nature  in  its  efficacy  and  operations.  By 
weak  and  dead  means  he  often  produceth  mighty  ef- 
fects. 

3  Whatever  difficulties  lie  in  the  way  of  accom- 
plishing the  promises  under  the  New  Testament  made 
to  Jesus  Christ,  concerning  the  increase  and  stability 
of  his  church  and  kingdom,  they  shall  have  an  assured 
accomplishment. 

VERSE  13. 
These  all   died  iyi  faiths  not  having  received   the  firomi.ics;   but 
having  seen  them  afar  ojf,  and  were  fierauaded  of  thctn,  and 
embraced  them,  and   confessed  that  they  li'cre  strangers   nnd 
fiilgrims  on  the  earth. 


IBO  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  H. 

§1.  Introduction,  §'2  (I.)  Exposition.  All  die  in  faith.  §3.  Not  having  re- 
ceived the  pioniises.  ^A-  But  having  seen  them  afar  oft'.  §5.  And  were  per- 
suaded of  ihem.  Jfi  And  embraced  them.  §7.  1' hey  confessed  that  th«r 
were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  eartli.    §8.  (II)  Observations. 

§1.  Because  there  was  somewhat  jieculiar  in  these 
instances,  compared  with  those  before  recounted,  and 
those  which  follow  after;  namely,  their  pilgrim  state 
after  the  call  of  Abraham;  the  apostle  diverts  to  what 
thty  did,  attained,  and  professed  in  that  state. 

§2  (I.)  "'x\ll  these  died  in  feith;"  {avla  7r«v7.-g)  all 
these;  that  is,  all  those  who  left  their  own  country  on 
the  special  command  of  God,  living  as  pilgrims  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  elsewhere,  Abraham,  Sarah,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob.  This  is  evident  from  what  follows,  (ver. 
13 — 15;  ciTre^ccvov  kuIcc  ^laliv)  died  in  faith;  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  apostle  commends  their  faith  from 
its  perseverance  unto  the  end;  but  there  is  also  intend- 
ed, that  they  died  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  a  firm  belief 
of  a  substantial  existence  after  this  life;  a  resignation 
and  trust  of  their  departing  souls  into  the  care  and 
power  of  God;  the  belief  of  a  future  state  o(  blessedness 
and  rest,  here  called  an  heavenly  country,  a  city  pre- 
pared for  them  by  God;  faith  of  the  resurrection  of 
their  bodies  after  death,  that  their  entire  persons  which 
had  undergone  the  pilgrimage  of  this  life  might  be  sta- 
ted in  eternal  rest.  For,  on  this  their  dying  in  faith, 
God  after  death  "was  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their 
God,"  ver.  16.  Whence  our  Savior  proves  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body.  Matt,  xxii,  32. 

%2t.  (Mv)  haliovleg  rug  eituyyeXiag)  not  having  received 
the  promises.  It  is  granted,  that  the  promises  are 
hcie  taken  for  the  things  jyromised;  for,  as  to  the 
promises  themselves,  they  saw  them,  they  were  per- 
suaded of  them,  they  embraced  them;  wherefore  it 
cannot  be  said  that  they  received  them  not.    And  of 


Ver.  13.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  18i 

Abraham  it  is  said  expressly,  that  he  did  receive  the 
promises,  ver.  17;  as  also  that  all  other  believers  under 
the  Old  Testament  did  obtain  them,  ver.  33. 

Again,  the  promises  in  the  plural  number  is  the 
same  with  the  promise  in  the  singular,  ver.  33.  For 
the  promise  intended  was  but  one;  but  whereas  it  is 
frequently  renewed,  it  is  called  the  "promises;"  as  also 
because  of  the  manifold  occasional  additions  that 
were  made  to  it,  and  declaratory  of  it, 

This  promise  is  no  other  but  that  of  the  actual  ex- 
hibition of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  with  all  the  privileges 
of  the  church  thereby,  which  the  apostle  had  so  fully 
insisted  on,  chap,  vii — x.  This  was  that  better  thing 
which  God  provided  for  us  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment, that  they  without  us  should  not  be  made  per- 
fect, ver.  40. 

§4.  But  [Toppu^ev  uvlag  ilovreq)  having  seen  them 
afar  off;  at  a  great  distance  of  time.  This  farther 
makes  it  evident,  that  the  things  promised,  and  not 
the  promises  themselves,  are  ii. tended;  for  the  promis- 
es were  not  afar  off  but  present  with  them.  They 
saw  them;  understood  in  general  the  mind  of  God  in 
the  promises,  and  had  the  idea  of  the  things  promised 
in  their  minds.  They  saw  them  as  a  map,  wherein 
was  drawn  the  scheme  of  divine  wisdom,  goodness, 
and  grace,  for  their  deliverance  from  the  state  of  sin 
and  misery;  but  at  such  a  distance  as  that  they  could 
not  clearly  discern  the  things  themselves.  And  this  is 
the  first  act  of  faith  with  respect  to  divine  promises; 
a  discerning  or  understanding  of  the  goodness,  wis- 
dom, love,  and  grace  of  God  in  them,  suited  to  our 
deliverance  and  Sialvation.  And  this  1  take  to  be  in- 
tended in  this  expression,  "they  saxc  them." 

§5.  "And  were  (Te«7^fv7f$)  persuaded  of  them;"  ful- 
ly or  certainly  persuaded  of  them,  as  the  word  is  fre-- 


182  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  II 

quently  used,  denoting  the  satisfactory  acquiescence 
of  the  mind  in  the  truth  of  God  as  to  their  accom- 
plishment. For  when  we  discern  the  excellency  of 
the  things -contained  in  them,  the  next  inquiry  is  after 
an  assurance  of  our  participation  of  them.  And  here- 
in, on  the  part  of  God,  his  truth  and  veracity  repre- 
sent themselves  to  us,  Tit.  i,  2.  Hence  arises  ajirm 
persuasion  of  mind  concerning  their  accomplishment. 
And  to  confirm  this  persuasion,  God  in  infinite  con- 
descension, confirmed  his  promise  and  his  truth  to 
Abraham  with  his  oath,  chap,  vi,  12 — 18.  Hereon 
they  were  assuredly  persuaded,  that  they  were  not 
empty  flourishes,  mere  promises,  or  subject  to  any 
disappointment;  but,  notwithstanding  their  great  dis- 
tance, and  the  intervenience  of  all  sorts  of  difficulties, 
they  should  certainly  be  accomplished  in  their  ap- 
pointed time,  Isa.  ix,  22. 

§6.  On  this  persuasion  they  (ao-xao-«pi£vo/)  embraced 
them.  The  word  signifies  to  salute,  and  is  applied  to 
such  salutations  as  are  accompanied  with  delight  and 
veneration;  and  because  it  is  usually  expressed  by 
stretching  out  the  hands  to  receive  and  embrace,  it  is 
used  also  for  to  embrace,  which  is  here  the  most 
proper  sense  of  it.  Wherefore  this  embracing  of  the 
promises,  is  the  heart's  cleaving  to  them  with  love, 
delight,  and  complacency,  which,  if  it  be  not  a  proper 
act  of  faith,  yet  it  is  an  inseparable  fruit.  This  was 
the  faith  whereby  the  elders  obtained  a  good  report, 
and  not  a  mere  naked,  barren  assent  to  divine  revela- 
tion, which  is  all  that  some  will  allow  to  it. 

§7.  "And  confessed  that  they  were  pilgrims  and 
strangers  on  the  earth;"  (o^ohoyviauvleg)  they  confessed, 
avowedly  professed,  that  their  interest  was  not  in  this 
world;  but  they  had  such  a  satisfactory  portion  in  the 
promises  which  they  embraced,  that  they  openly  dc 


Ver.  13.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  183 

clared,  they  were  {ievoi  vm  •xupezi^^^ixoi)  strangers  and 
jnlgrims  on  the  earth.  Rest,  or  home,  is  the  perfec- 
tion of  our  nature;  and  it  was  originally  intrusted  with 
powers  for  the  attaining  of  it;  but  by  sin  these  powers 
are  lost,  and  the  end  is  no  more  by  them  attainable; 
yet  we  cannot  but  continue  still  to  seek  after  it;  and 
most  men  look  for  it  in  this  world,  in  this  life.  This, 
therefore,  is  their  home,  their  country,  their  city  of 
habitation.  But  these  believers  professed  that  this 
was  not  their  rest,  they  did  but  wander  about  in  the 
world  for  a  season.  Abraham  made  this  profession, 
Gen.  xxiii,  4;  and  Jacob,  Gen.  xli,  8,  9;  and  David, 
1  Chron.  xxix,  15;  Psal.  xxxix,  12;  and  that  all  believ- 
ers are  such,  the  apostle  Peter  declares,  1  Epis.  ii,  11. 

If  we  distinguish  these  two  sorts,  (^evoi)  strangers 
are  such  as  are  always  moving,  having  no  abiding 
place  at  all;  such  was  the  state  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  during  his  ministry,  where  he  had  not  to  lay 
his  head;  and  {'xupe%i^viyi.oi)  pilgrims,  are  such  as  take 
up  an  abode  for  a  season,  without  an  intermixture 
with  the  rights,  duties,  or  privileges  of  the  place  where 
they  are. 

I'his  they  are  said  to  be  {s%i  rixg  yixg)  on  the  earth, 
during  their  whole  continuance  in  this  world.  And 
an  intimation  is  given  of  that  other  state  which  they 
looked  for,  and  wherein  their  interest  lay,  which  is 
heaven. 

^8.  (II.)  Hence  observe, 

1.  It  is  the  glory  of  true  faith  that  it  will  not  leave 
them  in  whom  it  is,  that  it  will  not  cease  its  actings 
for  their  support  and  comfort  in  their  dying  moments; 
when  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  shall  perish. 

2.  Tlie  life  of  faith  eminently  manifests  itself  in 
fleath,  when  all  other  reliefs  and  supports  fail. 


184  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

3.  That  is  the  crowning  act  of  faith,  the  great  trial 
of  its  vigor  and  wisdom, — what  it  doth  in  our  dying. 

4.  Hence  it  is,  that  many  of  the  saints,  both  of  old 
and  of  late,  have  evidenced  the  most  triumphant  act- 
ings of  faith  in  the  approach  of  death. 

5.  The  due  understanding  of  the  whole  Old  Testa- 
ment, with  the  nature  of  the  faith  and  obedience  of 
all  the  saints  under  it,  depends  on  this  one  truth — that 
they  believed  things  that  were  not  yet  actually  exhib- 
ited nor  enjoyed.  This  is  the  line  of  life  and  truth, 
that  runs  through  all  their  profession  and  duties. 
Christ  in  the  promise,  even  before  his  coming,  was  the 
life  of  the  church  in  all  ages. 

6.  God  would  have  the  church  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world  to  live  on  promises  not  actually  accom- 
plished. For  although  we  do  enjoy  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  great  promise  of  the  incarnation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  yet  the  church  continues  still  to  live  on 
promises,  which  in  this  world  cannot  be  perfectly  ful^ 
tilled. 

7.  We  may  receive  the  promises  as  to  the  comfort 
and  benefit  of  them,  when  we  do  not  actually  receive 
the  things  promised. 

8.  As  our  privileges  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  prom- 
ises are  above  theirs  under  the  Old  Testament,  so  our 
faith,  thankfulness,  and  obedience  ought  to  excel  theirs 
also. 

9.  No  distance  of  time  or  place  can  weaken  faith 
as  to  the  accomplishment  of  divine  promises.  There 
are  still  left  us  upon  record,  some  promises  that  are,  it 
may  be,  afar  off;  such  as  those  which  concern  the  de^ 
struction  of  antichrist,  and  the  glory  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  in  the  latter  days.  The  rule  of  faith  concern- 
ing them  is  given  us,  Pleb.  ii,  3,  4. 

10.  Quiet  waiting  for  the  accomplishment  of  prom- 


Ver.  14.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  185 

ises  at  a  great  distance,  and  which  most  probably  will 
not  be  in  our  days,  is  an  eminent  fruit  of  faith.  He 
that  believeth  will  not  make  haste. 

11.  This  firm  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  God  in 
the  accomplishment  of  his  promises  to  us,  upon  a  dis- 
covery of  their  worth  and  excellency,  is  the  second  act 
of  faith,  wherein  the  life  of  it  doth  principally  consist. 

12.  This  avowed  renunciation  of  all  other  things 
besides  Christ  in  the  promise,  and  the  good  will  of  God 
in  him,  as  to  the  repose  of  any  trust  or  confidence  in 
them  for  our  rest  and  satisfaction,  is  an  eminent  act  of 
that  faith  whereby  we  walk  with  God;  Jer.  iii,  23; 
Hos.  xiv,  3,  4. 


VERSE  U. 

For  they  that  say  such  things,  declare  plainly  that  they  seek  u 

country. 

§1.  The  wonls  an  infiroiice  from  theii- foregoing  account;  the  exposition.  $2. 
Obs.  1.  The  proper  »«>  of  interpreting  Scripture  is  to  consider  the  words 
themselves,  wi'Ji  relation  to  the  persons  sptaking,  and  all  their  circumstances. 
§3.  2.  Some  Scripture  proofs  are  uncontrollably  ement  only  from  a  due  regard 
to  peculiar  circumstances. 


§1-  Prom  the  profession  of  these  patriarchs,  that 
they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  the 
apostle  makes  an  inference  from  what  is. contained 
therein. 

"For  they  that  say  such  things,"  &:c.  (O;  yup)  jor 
they,  be  they  who  they  will,  that  speak  such  things 
as  these  sincerely;  or,  these  persons  in  their  circum- 
stances saying  such  things,  as  recorded  in  scripture 
(6/x(J)avi?8£r<v)  declare  plainly;  they  make  it  manifest  to 
all,  that  they  did  seek  a  country,  or  '-a  city  for  them- 
selves," as  the  Syriac  cxpresseth  it;  [iriKvilaci)  they  dili- 
gently inquired  after  it,  as  the  w^ord  signifies.  There 
is  an  entrance  in  these  ^^•ords  on  a  train  of  evident 


186  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

consequences.  From  their  profession  he  concludes 
that  they  desired  a  country;  and  if  they  did  so,  it  must 
be  either  that  from  whence  they  came,  or  some  other: 
that  from  whence  they  came  it  couid  not  be,  for  the 
reason  he  assigns;  and  if  some  other,  it  must  be  a  bet- 
ter than  either  that  from  whence  they  came,  or  that 
where  they  were;  which  could  be  no  other  but  an 
heavenly  country,  that  is,  heaven  itself. 

§2.  Obs.  1 .  This  is  the  genuine  and  proper  way  of 
interpreting  scripture;  when,  from  the  words  them- 
selves, considered  with  relation  to  the  persons  speaking 
them,  and  all  their  circumstances,  we  declare  what  was 
their  determinate  mind  and  sense.  And  on  the  due 
apprehension  of  the  literal  sense  of  the  words  them- 
selves, the  studious  exercise  of  reason,  in  all  proper 
ways  of  arguing,  is  required. 

§3.  Obs,  2.  The  inference  of  the  apostle  from  these 
words  of  the  patriarchs  is  so  evident  and  uncontrollable^ 
that  he  affirms  themselves  to  declare  plainly,  what  he 
declares  to  be  th^r  sense  contained  in  their  words. 
And  indeed,  take  the  words  precisely,  without  a  con- 
sideration of  the  mind  wherewith,  the  circumstances 
in  which,  and  for  what  end  they  were  spoken,  they 
do  not  express  any  peculiar  act  or  fruit  of  faith.  For 
the  very  heathen  had  an  apprehension  that  this  life  is 
but  a  kind  of  pilgrimage.  .Btit  under  their  circum- 
stances, there  must  be  another  sense  in  the  words.  For 
they  speak  them  not  as  the  common  condition  of 
mankind,  but  as  their  peculiar  portion  in  the  world, 
with  respect  to  the  promises  of  God.  Most  men  meet 
w'ith,  and  are  sensible  of  sundry  wants;  yet  they  are 
such  as  may  be  supplied  in  the  place  where  they  are; 
and  their  great  desire  with  their  utmost  endeavor  is, 
that  they  may  be  here  supplied.  Such  persons,  be 
they  never  so  poor,  so  indigent,  so  harboricss,  are  not 


Ver.  B.        epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  iBt 

pilgrims  on  the  earth;  this  is  their  home,  although  they 
are  but  ordinarily  provided  for.  Much  less  are  they 
so  who  have  an  affluence  of  all  things  to  their  satis- 
faction, though  they  sometimes  meet  with  a  pinch  or 
loss.  They  only  are  so,  who  live  always  in  a  sense 
of  such  wants  as  this  world  cannot  supply. 

X'ERSE  15. 

^nd  truly  if  they  had  been  mindful  of  that  comitry  from  whence 
they  ca?ne  outy  they  7night  have  had  op/wrtunity  to  have  re- 
tur?ied. 

Jl,  The  words  an  answer  to  an  objection  that  might  be  raised.    §2.  The  objcrc- 
tion  fully  answered.     §3,  Observations. 

§1.  Whereas  these  patriarchs  thus  expressed  their 
desire  of  a  country,  and  diligently  sought  after  it,  was 
it  not  because  they  had  lost  their  own  country,  their 
relations  and  enjoyments?  Was  it  not,  because  of  the 
difficulties  of  a  wandering  course  of  life,  a  desire  to  re- 
turn home  again,  where  they  might  have  quiet  habita- 
tions?   No,  for, 

§2.  1.  They  had  a  country  of  their  own,  to  which 
they  might  have  gone;  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  Gen.  xi,32; 
called  also  Mesopotamia,  Acts  vii,  2;  Gen.  xxiv,  lOj 
the  country  on  the  other  side  of  the  flood,  Josh,  xxiv,  2. 

2.  They  departed  from  it  upon  the  command  of 
God,  and  not  for  want,  nor  to  increase  their  riches; 
nor  were  they  driven  out  by  external  force  or  persecu- 
tion, but  went  in  an  obediental  compliance  with  the 
call  of  God;  and  this  secured  them  from  all  desires  of 
a  return. 

3.  In  their  profession  of  being  sh'angers  and  pil- 
grims^ they  had  not  respect  to  this  country;  for  (f/ 
ffxvv;|xov£uov)  if  they  had  been  mindful;  that  is,  remem- 
bered it  with  a  mind  and  desire  after  it,  they  might 

VOL.  IV.  24 


188  EXPOSITION  OF  THt:  Chap.  U. 

have  had  an  opportunity  of  returning.  It  is  natural 
fo  r  all  nnen  to  remember  and  desire  their  own  country; 
nothing  is  more  celebrated  among  the  ancients,  nor 
more  illustrated  by  examples,  than  the  love  of'men  to 
their  own  country,  and  their  fervent  desire  after  it. 

But  this  love,  this  desire  after  their  native  country, 
was  mortified  in  these  holy  persons  by  faith,  acting  in 
obedience  to  the  call  of  God;  so  that  no  remembrance 
of  their  first  enjoyments,  no  imprest-ions  from  their 
native  air  and  soil,  no  bonds  of  consanguinity  among 
the  people,  nor  difficulties  they  met  with  in  their  wan- 
derings, could  kindle  in  them  any  peculiar  love  and 
attachment  to  their  native  place.  "They  minded  it 
not."    Besides, 

4.  That  they  had  not  respect  to  this  country,  in  the 
profession  they  made,  the  apostle  proves  from  hence? 
that  they  might  have  returned  to  it,  if  they  had  been  de- 
sirous of  it.  If  this  were  their  object,  why  should 
they  thus  complain,  when  they  might  have  gone  home 
when  they  would? 

(E/%ov  uv  naipov)  they  might  have  had  an  opportu- 
nity; or,  as  some  copies  read,  only  (f'%ov)  they  hady 
which  better  expresseth  the  mind  of  the  apostle;  for 
not  only  they  might  have  had.  but  they  really  had 
sundry  opportunities  of  returning.  For  from  the  call 
of  Abraham  to  the  death  of  Jacob  there  were  two 
hundred  years;  so  that  they  had  time  enough  for  a 
return  if  they  had  had  a  mind  to  it;  there  was  no  ex- 
ternal difficulty  in  their  way  by  force  or  opposition; 
the  way  was  not  so  far,  but  that  Abraham  sent  his 
servant  thither  out  of  Canaan;  and  Jacob  went  the 
same  journey  with  his  staff  But  they  gave  sundry 
evidences  also  that  they  would  not,  on  any  opportu- 
nity, return  thither.  Gen.  xxiv,  5,  6;  and  therefore  it 
could  not  be  that  with  respect  to  which  they  professed 


Ver.  16.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  189 

themselves  to  be  strangers  and  pilgrims;  that  was 
not  the  country  which  they  sought  and  desired. 
§3.  Hence  observe: 

1.  It  is  in  the  true  nature  of  faith  to  mortify  not 
only  corrupt  and  sinful  lusts,  but  our  natural  affec- 
tions and  inclinations,  though  in  themselves  innocent, 
if  they  are  any  way  uncompliant  with  duties  of  obe- 
dience to  the  commands  of  God.  Yea,  herein  lies 
the  principal  trial  of  the  sincerity  and  power  of  faith. 
Our  lives,  parents,  wives,  children,  houses,  possessions, 
our  country,  are  the  principal,  proper,  lawful  objects  of 
our  natural  affections.  But  when  any  of  them  stand 
in  the  way  of  God's  command,  if  they  are  hindran- 
ces to  the  doing  or  suffering  any  thing  according  to  his 
will,  faith  does  not  only  mortify,  and  take  off  that 
love,  but  gives  us  a  comparative  hatred  of  them,  Matt. 
X,  37;  Luke  xiv,  26;  John  xii,  25. 

2.  When  the  hearts  and  minds  of  believers  are  fix- 
ed on  things  spiritual  and  heavenly,  it  will  take  them 
off  from  inordinate  cleaving  to  things  otherwise  great- 
ly desirable. 

VERSE  16. 

But  now  they  desire  a  better  country^  that  in,  an  heavenly. 
Wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  ealled  their  God;  for  he 
hath  fire/iared  for  them  a  city. 

§1.  Connexion  and  design.  The  subject  stated-  §2.  First,  wliat  their  faith  was 
exercised  in.  $3,  4.  Secondly,  the  consequent  of  it.  §5.  Thirdly,  the 
ground  and  evidence  of  their  privilege.    ^6.  Observations. 

§  1 .  The  apostle  here  draws  another  inference  where- 
in he  expresscth  the  real  object  of  their  faith  and  dc- 
sires,  with  the  great  advantage  and  dignity  which  they 
obtained  therein. 

"But  now,"  &c.  Here  we  sec  what  was  the  acting 
of  their  faith  in  that  confession  they  made,  that  they 


}pa  EXPOSITION   OF  THE  Chap.  J  i. 

were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  For  it  was 
not  a  mere  complaint  of  their  state  and  condition;  nor 
a  desire  after  any  other  earthly  country;  but  it  must 
be  a  country  of  another  sort  that  they  desired  and 
fixed  their  faith  upon,  "that  is  an  heavenly." 
There  are  three  things  in  the  words, 

1.  What  their  faith  was  exercised  in,  under  the  pro- 
fession which  they  made;  they  "desired  a  better  coun- 
try, that  is,  an  heavenly." 

2.  What  was  the  consequent  thereof;  "God  is  not 
ashamed  to  be  called  their  God." 

3.  The  ground  and  evidence  of  that  professed  rela- 
tion; for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city." 

§2.  First,  {opeyovlxi)  ^Hhey  desire  a  better''  in  the 
midst  of  the  world,  and  against  the  world,  which  con- 
temns things  future  and  invisible  in  comparison  of 
those  which  are  of  present  enjoyment,  they  lived  in  a 
desire  and  expectation  of  a  future,  invisible,  heav- 
enly country.  And  in  this  profession,  testimony  is 
borne  to  the  truth  and  excellency  of  divine  promises. 

(Nuv)  now,  is  here  an  illative  particle;  and  joined 
with  {hs)  but,  signifies  an  adversative  inference;  they 
desired  not  a  return  into  their  country,  but  they  desir- 
ed an  heavenly;  they  had  an  earnest  active  desire, 
which  put  them  on  all  due  ways  and  means  to  attain 
it.  Slothful  unactive  desires  after  things  spiritual  and 
l^eavenly,  are  of  little  use  to  the  souls  of  men.  And  this 
kind  of  earnest  desire  includes  a  sense  of  want  and 
dissatisfaction  in  things  present;  just  apprehension  of 
the  worth  and  excellency  of  the  things  desired;  a  sight 
of  the  way  and  meiins  whereby  it  may  be  attained, 
without  which  all  desire  will  quickly  fade  and  fail. 
Such  a  desire  in  any  is  an  evidence  of  faith  working 
in  a  due  manner. 
That  which  they  thus  desired  was  (xpe/lovo;)  a  better^ 


Vkr.    16.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  IQl 

country.  Was  it  a  country  better  in  degrees,  with 
better  air,  better  soil;  more  fruitful,  more  peaceable? 
No;  but  a  country  oUiiwlhe}'  kind,  that  is,  an  heavenly. 

He  had  before  declared,  that  they  looked  for  "a  city 
that  had  foundations,  whose  framer  and  builder  is 
God,"  ver.  10.  Here  he  expresseth  where  and  what 
that  city  is,  viz.  Jieaven  itself,  or  an  habitation  with 
God  in  the  everlasting  enjoyment  of  him. 

The  apostle  here  clearly  ascribeth  to  the  holy  pa- 
triarchs a  faith  of  immortaliiy  and  glory  after  this 
life,  and  that  in  heaven  above  jwith  God  himself,  who 
prepared  it  for  them;  whereas  if  we  believe  the  papists, 
they  were  deceived  in  their  expectation,  and  fell  into 
a  limbus  tliey  know  not  where.  Again,  if  our  inspir- 
ed author  proves  not  that  their  faith  wrought  in  the 
desire  and  expectation  of  heavenly  ihings,  he  proves 
nothing  at  all  to  his  purpose.  Or  shall  we  think,  that 
those  who  were  testified  unto,  that  they  lived  by  faith, 
walked  with  God,  gave  themselves  continually  to  pray- 
er and  meditation,  denied  themselves  as  to  all  worldly 
accommodations,  and  whose  faith  produced  inimitable 
instances  of  obedience,  rose  no  higher  in  their  faith, 
hope,  desire,  and  expectations^  than  to  those  earthly 
Ihings,  wherein  their  posterity  were  to  have  no  share, 
comparable  to  that  which  many  of  the  worst  enemies 
of  God  possessed;  the  whole  of  it  being  at  this  day  one 
of  the  most  contemptible  provinces  of  the  Turkish 
empire?  I  no  way  doubt,  but  on  the  [uomise  of  the 
blessed  seed,  tliey  lived  in  that  laith  of  heaven  and 
glory,  which  some  tliat  oppose  their  faith  were  never 
acquainted  witlh 

§3.  Secondly,  'I'he  consequent  or  effect  of  their  faith, 
acting  itself  in  iheir  earnest  desires  of  an  heavenly 
country,  is,  that  'God  is  not  ashamed  of  being  called 
tJicir  God.''      He  doth  not  say.  tliat  he  ucidd  he  th^iv 


192  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U, 

God,  for  that  he  was  absolutely  in  the  first  call  of 
Abraham;  but  that  he  would  be  so  called,  he  would 
take  that  name  and  title  to  himself;  so  the  word 
signifies,  [eTrmuXsKj^xt,  not  vocari,  but  cognominari.) 
And  the  apostle  respects  what  is  recorded  Exod.  iii, 
6 — 15.  "I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of 
Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob:  this  is  my  name  for 
ever,  and  this  is  my  memorial  to  all  generations." 
He  assumes  to  himself  this /if /e,  whereby  he  will  be 
known  and  called  on  as  by  his  own  name.  And 
this  was  the  greatest  honor  that  they  could  be 
made  partakers  of.  He  who  is  the  greatest  possessor 
of  heaven  and  earth,  the  God  of  the  whole  world,  of 
all  nations  and  of  all  creatures,  would  be  known, 
styled,  and  called  on  as  their  God  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner, and  distinguisheth  himself  thereby  from  all  false 
gods  whatever.  It  is  true,  he  hath  revealed  himself 
to  us  by  a  far  greater  and  more  glorious  name;  he  hath 
taken  another  title  to  himself,  to  the  manifestation  of 
his  own  glory,  and  the  comfort  of  his  church  far  above 
it;  namely,  "the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Nevertheless,  by  reason  of  the  covenant 
made  with  them,  he  is  yet  known  by  this  name;  and 
whilst  it  stands  upon  record,  there  is  yet  hope  of  their 
posterity  being  recovered  from  their  present  forlorn, 
undone  condition. 

§4.  (Quit  E%ui(T%v'jE\ci.t)he  was  not  ashamed  to  be  sp 
called;  to  take  that  name  upon  himself.  And  sundry 
things  are  intimated  in  this  expression;  as, 

1 .  Infinite  condescension.  Though  it  seem  to  be 
a  thing  infinitely  beneath  his  glorious  majesty,  yet  he 
is  not  asham.ed  of  it.  It  is  a  condescension  in  God  to 
behold  the  things  that  are  done  in  heaven  and  earth," 
Psalm  cxiii,  5,  6.  How  much  more  doth  he  so  hum» 
ble  himself  in  taking  this  title  on  him! 


Ver.  16.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  193 

2.  That  it  would  be  to  him  a  matter  of  reproach. 
Innumerable  gods  were  set  up  in  opposition  to  him; 
all  agreed  to  reproach  and  despise  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  three  poor  pilgrims  on  the 
earth.  Whilst  those  idols  multiplied  to  themselves 
great  swelling  titles  of  vanity,  their  best  conceptions 
of  him  were,  that  he  was  "the  unknown  God"  But 
notwithstanding  all  the  reproaches  and  contempt  of 
the  world,  God  was  not  ashamed  of  them,  nor  of  the 
title  which  he  had  assumed  to  himself;  nor  did  he 
lay  it  aside  till  he  had  famished  all  the  gods  of  the 
earth,  and  vindicated  his  own  glorious  being  and 
power.     But, 

3.  It  is  usual  in  such  negative  enunciations  to  in- 
clude the  contrary  positive.  So  the  apostle  affirms  that 
he  was  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  Rom.  i, 
16;  that  is,  he  gloried  in  it,  or  the  faith  and  knowledge 
of  it  was  his  honor,  as  he  every  where  expressed  him- 
self So  God  took  this  title  to  himself  as  his  honor 
and  glory.  If  it  be  asked,  how  it  could  be  any  gloiy 
to  God?  I  answer;  it  was  in  virtue  of  this  title,  and  to 
fill  it  up,  he  glorified  his  grace,  his  goodness,  his  truth, 
and  power,  above  all  he  did  besides  in  the  world.  He 
will  be  for  a  "crown  of  glory  and  a  diadem  of  beauty'^ 
to  his  people,  Isa.  xxviii,  5;  and  his  owning  of  them 
shall  be  their  crown  and  diadem,  they  shall  be  a 
*'crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal 
diadem  in  the  hand  of  their  God,"  Isa.  Ixii,  3.  He 
will,  by  his  Spirit  and  graces  in  them,  make  them  his 
crown  and  diadem,  which  he  will  hold  in  his  hand  to 
shew  it  to  all  the  world.  Well  therefore  it  is  said,  that, 
"he  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God." 

§5.  Thirdly,  The  ground  and  evidence  of  this  priv- 
ilege; "for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city."  The 
words  either  give  a  reason  why  he  was  not  ashamed 


.194  EXPOSITION  OF   THE  Chap.  il. 

to  be  called  their  God,  or  contain  an  evidence  that  he 
was  so  called.  In  the  first  way  the  casual  conjunction 
{yup)for,  denotes  the  reason  or  cause  whence  it  was 
that  God  was  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God.  It 
is  true,  they  were  poor  wanderers,  pilgrims  in  the  earth, 
who  had  neither  city  nor  habitation,  so  that  it  might 
be  a  shame  to  own  them.  But,  saith  the  apostle,  God 
had  not  therein  respect  to  their  then  jwesent  state  and 
condition,  but  that  which  he  had  provided  for  them. 
Or,  in  the  second  way,  it  may  be  an  evidence  that  he 
was  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God,  in  that  he  did 
what  might  become  that  relation. 

The  thing  itself,  which  is  either  the  cause  or  evi- 
dence of  that  title,  is,  that  [vi'loiii.uae'j  uvlotg)  "/le  hath 
prepared  for  thoa  a  city;"  the  allusion  is  to  colonies^ 
with  cities  and  towns  ready  prepared  for  their  habita- 
tion and  entertainment;  and  the  word  here  used  is  con- 
stantly applied  to  the  preparation  of  heaven  and  glory 
for  believers,  Matt,  xx,  23,  &c.  and  two  things  are  in- 
cluded in  it: 

1 .  The  eternal  destination  of  glory  to  all  believers; 
Matt.  XXV,  34,  "a  \i\x\gdiOm  prepared  ioY  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world;"  that  is,  designed,  destinated 
for  you  in  the  eternal  counsel  of  God. 

2.  It  denotes  the  fitting  and  suiting  of  that  city  to 
them,  as  the  means  of  their  eternal  rest  and  blessed* 
ness.  So  our  Savior  useth  the  word,  John  xiv,  3,  "I 
go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you;"  his  entrance  into 
heaven  being  pre-requisite  to  that  glorious  state  which 
is  promised  to  New  Testament  believers. 

§6.  We  may  hence  make  some  observations; 

1.  To  avow  openly  in  the  world,  by  our  walking 
and  living,  with  a  constant  profession,  that  our  portion 
and  inheritance  are  not  in  it,  but  in  things  invisible,  in 
heav^cn  above,  is  an  illustrious  act  and  fruit  of  faith? 


Ver.  16.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  195 

but  then  it  is  incumbent  on  us,  that  we  do  not  in  any 
thing  contradict  this  testimony;  if  we  love  the  world 
like  others,  use  and  abuse  it  like  others,  we  destroy  our 
own  profession,  and  declare  our  faith  to  be  vain. 

2.  Faith  looks  on  heaven  as  the  country  of  believ- 
ers, a  glorious  country,  an  habitation  of  eternal  rest; 
thence  they  derive  their  original;  they  are  born  from 
above;  there  is  their  portion  and  nihentauce;  and  the 
blessed  God  is  the  one  and  the  other;  thereunto  they 
have  right  by  their  adoption;  heaven  is  prepared  for 
them  as  a  city,  a  house  full  of  mansions;  thereinthey  have 
their  conversation,  and  after  it  they  continually  long. 

3.  In  all  the  groans  of  burdened  souls  under  their 
present  trials,  there  is  included  a  fervent  desire  after 
heaven  and  the  enjoyment  of  God:  so  was  there  in 
this  complaint  of  the  patriarchs,  that  they  were  stran- 
gers and  pilgrims.  Heaven  is  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sighs  and  groans  of  all  believers,  whatever  may  out- 
w  ardly  give  occasion  to  them,  Rom.  viii,  23. 

4.  This  is  the  greatest  honor,  advantage,  and  securi- 
ty that  any  can  be  made  partakers  of,  that  God  will 
bear  the  name  and  title  of  '^their  God;"  and  thus  it  is 
with  all  believers  by  virtue  of  their  relation  to  Christ, 
as  he  declares,  John  xx,  17,  ^'I  ascend  unto  my  Father, 
and  your  Father,  unto  my  God,  and  your  G<^d."  See 
2  Cor.  vi,  IG — 18.  The  privileges  and  benefits  hereon 
depending  cannot  be  numbered. 

5.  God's  owning  believers  as  his^  and  himself  to  be 
their  God,  is  an  abundant  recompence  of  all  the  hard- 
ships which  they  undergo  in  their  pilgrimage. 

6.  Divine  wisdom  hath  so  ordered  the  relation  be- 
tween God  and  the  church,  that  what  is  in  itself  an  in- 
finite condescension  in  God,  and  as  it  were  a  reproach 
to  him  in  the  wicked  idolatrous  world,  should  also  be 
his  glory  and  honor,  wherein  he  is  well  pleased. 

VOL.  IV.  25 


196  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

7.  Where  God,  by  way  of  sovereign  grace,  so  infi- 
nitely condescends  as  to  take  any  into  covenant  with 
himself,  so  that  he  may  be  justly  styled  "their  God;" 
he  shall  make  them  such  as  shall  be  a  glory  to  himself. 
And, 

8.  We  may  see  here  the  woful  condition  of  them, 
who  are  ashamed  to  be  called  his  people,  and  make 
that  name  a  term  of  reproach  to  others. 

9.  Eternal  rest  and  glory  are  made  sure  for  all  be- 
lievers in  the  eternal  purpose  of  the  will  of  God,  and 
his  actual  preparation  of  them  by  grace;  which,  being 
embraced  by  faith,  is  a  sufficient  support  for  them  un- 
der all  the  trials,  troubles,  and  dangers  of  this  life, 
Luke  xii,  32. 

VEKSES  17—19. 

J9y  /aith  Abraham  ivhen  he  rvaa  fried,  offered  ufi  Isaac;  and  he 
that  had  received  the  promises  offered  up,  his  only  begotten  Son. 
Of  fohom  it  was  said,  that  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called;  ac- 
counting that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  u/i  from  the  dead; 
from  whence  also  he  received  him  ina  figure. 

§1.  Connexion.  §2.  (I.)  Exposition.  Abraham's  trial,  §3.  His  offering  Isaac. 
§4 — 6.  The  amplification  of  his  obedience.  §7,  8,  Exposition  continued. 
§9 — 14,  (II.)  Observations, 

§1 .  Having  spoken  of  the  faith  of  the  patriarchs  in 
the  last  period  of  time,  in  general,  with  respect  to  their 
peculiar  state  as  pilgrims  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  he 
now  singles  them  out  in  particular,  giving  single  in- 
stances of  their  faith,  beginning  with  Abraham. 

§2.  (I.)  "By  faith  Abraham  when  he  was  tried.'^ 
The  instance  is  such  as  became  him  who  was  to  be  an 
example  in  believing  to  all  that  should  succeed  him; 
that  through  which  he  was  renowned,  and  esteemed 
blessed,  in  all  generations.  The  trial  of  Abraham  was 
by  a  private  command  that  he  should  sacrifice  his  son, 
which  was  unlawful  for  him  to  do  of  hiso  wn  accord; 


VER.ir^l9.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  IQ? 

both  as  it  was  a  sacrifice  that  God  had  not  ordained, 
and  because  he  had  no  such  power  over  the  life  of  an 
obedient  son;  but  in  this  command  God,  by  virtue  of 
his  sovereign  right  and  authority  over  all,  changed  the 
nature  of  the  act  and  made  it  lawiul,  yea,  a  duty  to 
Abraham;  Isaac  was  his  absolutely,  and  by  way  ot 
sovereignty,  before  and  above  any  interest  of  Abraham 
in  him;  He  is  the  supreme  Lord  of  life  and  death,  and 
may  appoint  what  means  of  them  he  pleaseth;  so  when 
he  commanded  the  Israelites  to  borrow  jewels  of  tlie 
Egyptians,  which  they  carried  away  with  them,  he  did 
it  by  transferring  the  right  and  title  of  them  from  one 
people  to  the  other;  Exod.  xii,  35,  36;  wlieiefore,  it 
was  no  part  of  Abraham's  trial,  that  what  he  was  to 
do  had  any  thing  of  shi  in  it;  no,  for  he  knew  full  well 
that  God's  command  had  made  it  not  only  lawful,  but 
his  indispensable  duty;  but  his  trial  arose  from  other 
considerations;  and  the  internal  work  of  God  under 
this  temptation  was  the  corroboration  of  the  faith  of 
Abraham  unto  a  blessed  victory,  which  was  in  his  de- 
sign from  the  beginning;  and  the  temptation  is  said  to 
be  for  his  trial,  as  if  God  had  done  it  for  his  own  sat- 
isfaction respecting  the  faith  and  love  of  Abraham; 
"Now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God,"  Gen.  xxii,  12; 
but  these  things  are  spoken  after  the  manner  of  men; 
God  knew  his  faith  and  the  strength  of  it,  as  also  the 
sincerity  of  his  love,  for  they  were  both  from  himself; 
he  knew  what  would  be  the  issue  of  the  trial,  and  what 
he  had  himself  determined  concerning  the  life  of  Isaac; 
and  therefore,  "Now  I  know,"  is  no  more  than  "now  I 
have  made  known,"  to  thyself  and  others;  thus  there- 
fore he  was  tried;  God  by  his  command,  which  could 
not  be  obcy:^d  but  by  a  vigorous,  victorious  faith,  fer- 
vent love,  and  a  reverential  fear  of  God,  made  it  knov\'ii 
unto  Abraham  for  his  comfort,  and  to  al!  the  cliurol-i 


198  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  il. 

for  their  example,  to  his  everlasting  honor,  what  power 
of  grace  was  in  him,  and  by  what  principles  he  was 
entirely  actuated  in  his  walking  before  God;  and  it  is 
remarkable  that  the  trial  must  have  been  greatly 
augmented  by  the  casting  out  of  Ishmael,  which  is 
reported  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  so  that  he  being  gone 
from  his  family,  he  had  no  other  son  but  Isaac,  in 
whom  all  his  expectations  were  centred. 

§3.  The  act  and  effect  of  his  faith  was — "He  offered 
Isaac;"  the  command  was  to  "offer  him  for  a  burnt 
offering."  which  was  first  to  be  slain,  and  then  con- 
sumrd  with  fire;  accordingly  the  apostle  affirms  that 
he  offered  him;  that  is,  he  "fully  obeyed  the  command 
of  God;"  but  that  command  did  not  respect  the  event; 
Abraham  was  not  obliged  to  believe  that  he  should 
actually  be  offered  in  sacrifice;  but  he  believed  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  obey  the  divine  command,  which  he 
accordingly^  did;  reflect,  therefore,  in  what  sense  God 
commanded  Isaac  should  be  offered,  in  the  same  did 
Abraham  offer  him;  for  he  fulfilled  the  command  of 
God. 

1.  He  parted  with  his  own  interest  m  him,  and 
gave  him  up  wholly  to  God  and  his  will,  which  was 
the  principal  thing  in  every  offering  or  sacrifice;  this 
God  takes  notice  of  in  an  especial  manner,  as  that 
which  answered  his  mind;  "Thou  hast  not  withheld  thy 
son,  thine  only  son  from  me,"  Gen.  xxii,  12. 

2.  He  complied  in  the  way  designed  in  the  com- 
mand for  the  giving  him  up  unto  God,  viz.  as  a  sac- 
rlfice  hij  blood  and  fire,  wherein  himself  was  to  be  the 
offerer;  herein  was  the  great  convulsion  of  nature;  but 
his  faith  rose  superior  to  it.  What!  to  have  an  only  be- 
loved son  slain  by  the  effusion  of  his  blood,  visibly  un- 
der his  eyes;  yea,  to  do  it  with  his  own  hand,  and  to 
stand  by  his  consumption  in  the  fire!     How  unparal- 


Ver.  17—19.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  199 

leled  the  trial!  We  read  indeed  in  heathen  stories,  and 
in  holy  writ  with  reference  to  Moloch,  that  some  in 
overwhelming  distresses  have  sacrificed  some  of  their 
children  in  a  kind  of  rage  and  fury,  out  of  hopes  to  be 
gainers  by  it;  but  this  was  not  the  case  of  Abraham; 
he  was  at  perfect  peace  with  God  and  man,  with  an 
affluence  of  all  other  things  to  the  utmost  of  his  de- 
sires; on  all  accounts  his  son  was  dear  to  him,  to  as 
great  an  height  as  it  is  possible  perhaps  for  natural  af- 
fection to  arise;  besides,  the  holy  patriarch  was  quite 
sedate  in  his  mind;  had  no  hope  of  advantage;  yea, 
what  could  be  expected  but  the  utter  ruin  of  his  fam- 
ily and  posterity?  Yet  he  complies  with  the  unequivo- 
cal divine  mandate  to  offer  him,  with  his  own  hands, 
a  bloody  sacrifice  unto  God. 

3.  He  did  as  much  for  the  trial  of  his  faith,  as  if 
his  son  had  been  actually  slain.  There  could  not  have 
been  a  greater  assault  upon  it  in  case  he  had  been  of- 
fered; he  looked  on  him  as  dead  under  his  eye;  and 
thence,  as  we  shall  see,  is  said  to  "receive  him  in  a  fig- 
ure;" he  was,  as  to  his  faith,  in  the  same  condition  as 
if  he  had  been  dead.     Wherefore, 

4.  In  compliance  with  the  command  of  God,  he 
shut  his  eyes,  as  it  were,  against  all  difficulties  and 
consequences;  resolving  to  venture  Isaac,  posterity, 
truth  of  promises,  &,c.  upon  the  authority  of  God, 
wherein  he  is  principally  proposed  as  our  example. 

§4.  The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is  the  amplifi- 
cation of  this  obedience  of  Abraham  in  the  various 
circumstances  of  it;  and  to  begin  with  the  person  of 
Isaac;  he  was  his  ^'only  hegottenP  that  only  son  in 
whom  the  promise  of  the  seed  should  be  accomplish- 
ed; farther  to  clear  tlie  reason  of  this  expression,  it 
may  be  observed,  that  the  sons  of  Abraham  by  Kctu- 
rah  were  not  yet  born;  Ishmacl  was,  by  the  command 


200  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1 1. 

of  God  himself,  put  out  of  his  family,  as  one  that 
should  not  be  the  heir  of  his  family,  by  whom  his  seed 
should  be  reckoned — he  was  his  only  begotten  by  Sa- 
rah, who  was  concerned  in  all  this  affair  between  God 
and  him  no  less  than  himself;  and — the  Holy  Ghost 
taketh  into  consideration  the  whole  state  of  things  be- 
tween God  and  Abraham,  in  his  call,  his  separation 
from  the  world,  in  the  covenant  made  with  him,  in 
the  promise  made  him  concerning  the  blessed  seed;  in 
all  which  Isaac  alone  had  any  concernment;  therefore 
as  Abraham  alone  was  placed  in  these  circumstances, 
he  was  his  "only  begotten  son."  Finally,  this  expres- 
sion is  used  in  scripture  sometimes  for  as  much  as  pe- 
culiarly and  entirely  beloved  above  all  others,  Prov. 
iv,  2,  to  which  there  is  here  great  respect. 

Abraham  was  very  remote  from  being  savage  or 
cruel,  nor  did  he  design  that  stoical  apathy  which  was 
so  falsely  and  foolishly  boasted  of  by  some  of  old; 
nor  was  he  {aalopyog)  'without  natural  affections,  which 
the  apostle  reckons  amongst  the  worst  vices  of  the 
heathens,  Rom.  i,  31;  yea,  he  was  such  a  tender  and 
affectionate  father,  that  the  sending  of  Ishmael  out  of 
his  family  was  more  than  he  could  well  bear,  until  God 
comforted  him  in  it.  Gen.  xxi,  11 — 13;  what  now 
must  the  workings  of  his  heart  needs  be  towards  Isaac, 
a  son  whom  he  had  so  long  waited  and  prayed  for,  the 
only  child  of  his  dear  wife,  (who  was  the  companion 
of  all  his  wandering  troubles  and  trials)  and  who  was 
now  grown  up  (as  is  most  probable)  to  the  age  of  six- 
teen or  seventeen  years,  and  had  engaged  his  affections 
by  all  ways  possible,  being  the  stay  of  his  age,  the  life 
of  his  family,  his  only  hope  and  comfort  in  the  world? 
And  how  was  he  to  deal  with  him?  Not  to  send  him 
out  of  his  family,  with  some  provision,  and  a  guide, 
a3  he  sent  Ishmael:  not  to  part  with  him  for  a  time 


Ver.  ir--I9.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  201 

into  a  foreign  country;  but  to  take  him  himself,  to 
bind  him,  slay  him  with  a  knife,  and  then  burn  him  to 
ashes.  Who  can  conceive  what  convulsions  in  na- 
ture must  needs  be  occasioned  hereby?  The  advanta- 
ges also  which  Satan  might  hence  take  to  excite  un- 
belief with  respect  to  the  command  of  God,  are  obvi- 
ous to  all:  "Can  it  be  thought  that  he  who  is  infinite- 
ly good,  benign,  and  gracious,  should  command  one 
who  fears  and  loves  him,  thus  to  tear  and  rend  his  own 
bowels,  to  devour  his  own  offspring,  his  only  son? 
Hearken  a  little  to  the  out-cries  of  love,  fear,  and  sor- 
row, and  be  not  too  hasty  to  be  the  executioner  of  all 
thine  own  joy."  Here  then  the  divine  power  of  faitli 
manifested  itself;  "z7  is  the  Lord,''^  prevented  all  mur- 
murings,  silenced  all  reasonings,  and  preserved  his  mind 
in  a  frame  fit  to  approach  God  in  his  holy  worship. 

§5.  His  obedience  farther  appears,  in  that  he  had 
"received  the  promises."  It  is  twice  said  in  this  chap- 
ter, that  neither  he  nor  any  other  believers  under  the 
Old  Testament,  received  the  2}romise;  verse  IS — 39, 
but  here  it  is  affirmed,  that  he  did  receive  the  promis- 
es. The  solution  is  eas}^;  for  in  those  two  other  pla- 
ces, by  the  "promise,"  the  thing  promised  is  intended. 
And  this  sufficiently  discovers  the  vanity  of  those  ex- 
positors who  would  have  these  promises  to  respect 
principally,  yea  only,  the  land  of  Canaan,  with  the 
numerous  posterity  of  Abraham  therein.  For  this 
was  fully  enjoyed  by  them  under  the  Old  Testament, 
as  much  as  ever  it  was  to  be  enjoyed,  when  the  apos- 
tie  affirms  concerning  them  that  they  "received  not 
the  promise."  Rut  Abraham  is  said  to  receive  the 
promises  formally,  inasmuch  as  God  made  and  ga\  e 
them  unto  him,  and  he  believed  them,  or  received  them 
by  fiiith.     The  scripture  callrdi  the  same  tiling  indif- 


202  EXPOSfl^ION  OF  THE  Chap.  II. 

ferently  the  promise  or  the  promises,  see  Expos,  on 
chap,  vi,  13—18. 

§6.  "Of  whom  it  was  said,  that  in  Isaac  shall  thy 
seed  be  called;"  {%{iog  ov)  of  whom  or  concerning 
whom;  the  word  '^whom,^^  immediately  relates  to 
Isaac.  (Ha«Avi6vi)  It  was  said;  that  is,  it  was  express- 
ly spoken  to  him  by  God  himself,  on  the  occasion  of 
sending  Ishmael  out  of  his  family;  that  he  might  have 
full  assurance  of  the  accomplishment  of  the  promises 
in  him.  And  this  was  that  which  gave  the  greatest 
exercise  to  his  faith.  In  Isaac  (y^*  "i^  Knp^  ■>i}^vi^v\(Telut 
coi  <T7rsp(j.ci)  shall  a  seed  be  called  unto  thee;^'  that  is, 
the  seed  promised  from  the  beginning  shall  be  given 
in  him;  the  traduction  of  it  into  the  world  shall  be 
through  him  and  no  other.  The  principal  subject 
matter  of  the  promise  was  no  other  than  Christ  him- 
self, with  the  whole  work  of  his  mediation  for  the  re- 
demption and  salvation  of  the  church.  This  is  so  ev- 
ident, Acts  ii,  38,  39;  Gal.  iii,  16,  that  it  needs  no 
confirmation.  Supposing  therefore  what  we  have  spo- 
ken before  concerning  the  exercise  of  faith,  occasioned 
by  his  natural  affections,  with  reference  to  his  only 
son;  and  who  can  conceive  with  what  heart  Abraham 
received  the  thunder  of  this  command?  what  perplex- 
ities he  was  cast  into,  or  at  least  would  have  been  so, 
had  not  faith  carried  him  through  them  all?  He  seems 
to  be  pressed  unavoidably  with  one  or  the  other  of  the 
greatest  evils  in  the  world;  either  he  must  disobey  the 
command  of  God,  or  he  must  let  go  his  faith  in  the 
promise;  either  of  them  filled  with  eternal  ruin. 

§7.  "Accounting  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him 
up  even  from  the  dead;  from  whence  also  he  receiv- 
ed him  in  a  figure."  The  immediate  object  of  his 
faith  in  general  was  the  power  of  God,  that  God  was 
able.     Abraham  firmly  believed,  not  only  the  immor- 


Ver.  17-^19.       EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        203 

tality  of  the  soul,  but  also  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  Had  he  not  done  so,  he  would  not  have  beta- 
ken himself  into  this  relief  in  his  distress.  It  is  in  vain 
to  inquire  what  special  revelation  Abraham  had  of 
these  things;  for  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  which 
includes  the  other,  was  an  essential  part  of  the  first 
promise,  or  no  relief  is  tendered  therein  against  the 
curse,  which  was  a  return  into  the  dust.  He  owned 
the  omnipotency  of  God,  as  able  to  produce  inconceiv- 
able effects.  He  did  not  limit  God  as  they  did  in  the 
wilderness,  as  the  psalmist  at  large  describes  their  un- 
belief. Psalm  Ixxviii,  19,  20, 40,  41.  He  rested  on  this, 
that  the  power  of  God  could  extend  itself  to  things  by 
him  incomprehensible.  This  was  the  life  and  soul,  as 
it  were,  of  the  faith  of  Abraham;  he  believed  that  the 
power  of  God  was  infinitely  sufficient  to  secure  his 
truth  and  veracity  in  his  promises,  though  he  could 
not  conceive  t;ie  way  v»'hereby  it  was  to  be  done. 
And  this  is  the  life  of  faith  at  present  in  all  true  be- 
lievers. Abraham  still  firmly  believed  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  great  promise,  although  he  could  not  dis- 
cern the  way  whereby  it  should  be  fulfilled.  Had  his 
faith  failed  herein,  his  obedience  had  been  useless. 
This  is  the  last  anchor  of  faith;  it  cleaves  unto,  and 
rests  upon  the  truth  of  God  in  his  promises,  against 
all  objections,  temptations,  and  oppositions,  although 
they  are  such  as  reason  in  its  highest  exercise  cannot 
conquer.  God,  who  cannot  lie,  hath  promised.  Tit. 
i,  2.  On  these  principles,  which  were  immoveably 
fixed  in  his  mind,  he  reasoned  'a:ithin  himself  as  to 
the  way  and  manner  whereby  the  power  of  God 
would  make  good  his  truth  in  the  accomplishment  of 
the  promise.  Accounfing  {Koyiaoixevo;)  compuiing; 
reasoning  in  himself  kom  the  principles  of  faith,  that 
"God  would  raise  him  from  the  dead,"  or  more  em- 
VOL.  IV.  26 


20  i  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1  i . 

phatically,  even  from  the  dead.  This  then  is  that 
which  he  reckoned  upon  in  himself; — that  God  was 
able  to  raise  the  dead  in  general; — that  he  could  so 
raise  up  Isaac  after  his  death;  and — that  after  this  res- 
urrection, if  it  should  so  happen,  it  would  be  the  samt 
individual  person  that  was  offered;  whereby  the  word 
which  he  "spake  to  his  servants,"  (that  he  and  the  lad 
would  go  and  worship  and  come  again  to  them,  Gen. 
xxii,  5,)  would  be  made  good.f  It  is  evident,  therefore, 
that  by  faith  he  devolved  the  whole  event  of  things  oil 
the  sovereignty,  power,  and  truth  of  God;  and  in  his 
reasoning,  thereon  thought  it  most  likely  that  God 
would  raise  him  from  the  dead. 

§8.  "From  whence  also  he  received  him  in  a  fig- 
ure." The  promise  was  absolutely  secured;  Isaac 
was  preserved  alive,  that  in  him  the  seed  might  be 
called;  Abraham's  obedience  was  fully  accomplished; 
for  he  had  parted  fully  with  Isaac;  he  was  no  more 
his  than  if  he  had  been  actually  dead;  whence  it  is 
said  that  he  received  him  again;  he  was  made  to  be 
God's  own,  to  belong  to  him  alone  as  devoted;  and 
God  gave  him  again  to  Abraham;  Isaac  was  consid- 
ered in  the  state  of  the  dead;  that  is,  under  the  com- 
mand of  God,  and  in  his  father's  determination;  so 
that  the  apostle  says  he  offered  him;  and  there- 
fore it  is  said  that  he  received  him  from  that  state; 
"whence  also;"  one  expositor  conjectures,  that  re- 
spect is  had  herein  to  Abraham's  first  receiving  Isaac 
at  his  nativity  from  the  womb  of  Sarah  which  was  as 
dead;  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  remote  from  the 
sense  of  the  place;  but  whereas  Isaac  did  not  die,  was  not 
actually  dead,  he  is  said  to  receive  him  from  that  state 
only  {ev'Keipa(ioKv,)  in  a  figure;  norhave  I  hereany  thing 
to  add  to  what  was  first  fixed  on  by  the  most  judicious 
Calvin,  who  hath  herein  been   followed   by  all  sober 


Ver.  17—19.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  20o 

expositors;  "he  received  him  as  from  the  dead,  in  a  fig- 
ure or  resemblance  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead." 
§9.  (II.)  Several  important  o65ert;a/io?is  here  offer; 

1.  That  God  alone  knows  how  to  ascribe  work 
and  duty  proportionate  to  the  strength  of  grace  receiv- 
ed; he  knew  that  Abraham's  faith  would  carry  him 
through  this  trial,  and  thereon  he  spared  him  not. 

2.  That  oftentimes  God  reserves  great  trials  for  a 
well  exercised  faith;  so  this  trial  befell  Abraham  when 
his  faith  had  been  victorious  in  sundry  other  instances. 

§10.  I.  Faith  must  be  tried;  and  of  all  graces  it  is 
most  suited  to  trial. 

2.  God  proportions  trials,  for  the  most  part,  to  the 
strength  of  faith. 

3.  Great  trials  in  believers  are  an  evidence  of  great 
faith,  though  not  understood,  either  by  themselves  or 
others,  before  such  trials. 

4.  Trials  are  the  only  touchstone  of  faith,  without 
which  men  must  want  the  best  evidence  of  its  sinceri- 
ty and  efficacy,  and  the  best  way  of  testifying  it  to 
others.     Wherefore, 

5.  We  ought  not  to  be  afraid  of  trials,  because  of  the 
admirable  advantages  of  faith  by  them,  See  Jam.  i, 
2—4;  1   Pet.  i,  6,  7.     And, 

6.  Let  them  be  jealous  over  themselves  who  have 
had  no  special  instances  of  the  trial  of  their  faith. 

7.  True  faith  being  tried  will  in  the  issue  be  victori- 
ous. 

§11.  1.  Where  there  is  a  divine  command,  eviden- 
cing itself  to  our  consciences  to  be  so,  it  is  the  wisdom 
and  duty  of  faith  to  close  its  eye  against  whatever 
seems  insuperable  in  difficulties,  or  inextricable  in  con- 
sequences.    Rom.  iv,  18,  19. 

2.  Divine  revelations  gave  such  an  evidence  of  their 
being  immediately  from  God  to  those  who  received 
them,  that  though  they  contradicted  their  reason  and 


206  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

interest,  yet  they  received  them  without  any  hesita- 
tion. If  there  had  been  the  least  room  left  for  a 
scruple,  whether  the  command  given  to  Abraham 
were  immediately  from  God  or  no;  whether  it  was 
not  such  as,  either  with  respect  to  its  original,  or  the 
means  of  communication,  might  be  subject  to  any  mis- 
take, he  could  nev^er  with  any  satisfaction  have  com- 
plied with  it.  Yet  blind  obedience  to  all  the  com- 
mands of  men  is  blasphemy  to  require,  and  impiety 
to  give;  it  is  a  wonder  how  this  is  endured  among 
mankind,  especially  since  they  have  had  such  experi- 
ence of  its  fruits  and  effects;  yea,  though  it  be  that 
which  is  absolutely  due  to  the  infinite  sovereignty  of 
the  Divine  Being,  yet  God — designing  to  govern  us  ac- 
cording to  the  principles,  powers,  and  faculties  of  our 
natures,  which  he  himself  hath  given  us  to  this  end, 
that  we  may  comply  with  his  rule  in  a  way  of  obe- 
dience— requires  nothing  from  us  but  what  is  our  rea- 
sonable service. 

§3.  It  is  a  privilege  and  advantage  to  have  an  offer- 
ing of  price  to  offer  to  God,  if  he  calls  for  it,  and  when 
we  have  hearts  to  make  use  of  it;  and  such  are  our 
lives,  our  names,  our  relations,  estates,  liberties,  &c. 

4.  Obedience  begun  in  faith,  without  any  reserves, 
but  with  a  sincere  intention  to  fulfil  the  whole  work 
of  it,  is  accepted  with  God  as  if  it  were  absolutely 
complete.  Confessors  may  be  justly  reckoned  in  the 
next  degree  to  martyrs. 

§12.  Again  observe;  that  the  power  of  faith  in  its 
consequences  over  natural  affections — when  their  in- 
clinations are  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  whereby 
they  are  exposed  to  receive  impressions  from  tempta- 
tions— is  a  blessed  evidence  of  its  being  sincere,  and  an 
eminent  part  of  its  glory;  such  is  its  trial  in  the  loss 
of  dear  relations,  or  their  irrecoverable  misery  in  this 
-vyorld,  wherein  natural  affections  are  apt  to  indispose 


9 

Ver.  17—19.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  207 

the  mind,  and  to  hinder  it  from  a  quiet  submission  to 
the  will  of  God;  whereby  David  greatly  failed  in  the 
case  of  Absalom.  But  another  instance  like  this  of 
Abraham  there  never  \vas,  nor  ever  shall  be:  and  all 
less  cases  are  contained  in  the  greater. 

§13.  Let  it  be  farther  observed,  relative  to  this 
memorable  transaction, 

1.  That  in  great  and  inextricable  difficulties,  it  is 
the  duty,  wisdom,  and  nature  of  faith  to  fix  itself  on 
the  immense  properties  ofthe  divine  nature,  whereby  it 
can  effect  things  inconceiveable  and  incomprehensible, 
see  Isa.  xl,  28—31. 

2.  God  may  justly  require  the  assent  and  confidcr.ce 
of  faith  to  all  things  which  infinite  power  and  wisdom 
can  effect,  though  we  cannot  comprehend  the  way 
whereby  it  may  be  accomplished,  see  Isa.  /,  10. 

3.  God's  dealings  with  his  church  sometimes  are 
such,  that  unless  we  shut  our  eyes,  and  stop  our  ears, 
against  all  objections  and  temptations,  referring  his 
promises  only  to  divine  sovereignty,  wisdom,  and  ve- 
racity, we  can  never  abide  in  a  comfortable  course  of 
obedience,  see  Ezek.  xxxvii,  1,  2,  11 — 14. 

4.  This  is  the  glory  of  faith,  that  it  can  spiritually 
compose  the  soul  in  the  midst  of  all  storms  and  temp- 
tations, under  darkness  as  to  events;  and  enable  it  in  a 
due  manner  to  attend  to  all  duties  of  worship  and 
obedience;  so  as  to  sanctify  the  name  of  God  in  them, 
and  not  to  provoke  him  with  any  irregularities  of 
mind  or  actions. 

5.  In  any  surprisal  with  seemingly  insuperable  dif- 
ficulties, it  is  our  duty  immediately  to  set  faith  at  work 
and  not  to  consult  with  fiesh  and  blood,  or  hearken  to 
carnal  reasonings  or  contrivances,  which  will  but  en- 
tangle us,  and  increase  our  distress. 

(5.    There  may  sometimes,  through  God's  providen- 


20S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  It. 

tial  disposal  of  all  things,  be  an  appearance  of  such 
an  opposition  and  inconsistency  between  his  com- 
mands and  promises,  as  nothing  but  faith  bowing  the 
soul  to  divine  sovereignty  can  reconcile,  Gen.  xxii, 
8—12. 

§14.    Again,  observe; 

1.  It  is  good  for  us  to  have  our  faith  firmly  built 
on  the  fundamental  articles  of  religion,  without  which 
we  cannot  act  it  on  particular  occasions,  wherein  an 
application  is  made  of  such  fundamental  principles  to 
our  present  cases. 

2.  Faith  obtaining  the  victory  in  great  trials,  and 
carrying  us  through  difficult  duties  of  obedience,  war- 
ranted by  divine  command,  shall  have  a  reward  even 
in  this  life,  in  many  unspeakable  spiritual  privileges 
and  advantages. 

3.  If  we  are  the  cliildren  of  Abraham,  we  have  no 
reason  to  expect  an  exemption  from  the  greatest  trials 
that  the  same  faith  which  was  in  him  is  able  to  conflict 
with. 

4.  We  have  no  reason  to  be  afraid  of  the  fiercest 
and  severest  trials  that  may  befall  us,  having  so  great 
an  instance  tiiat  faith  is  able  to  carry  us  through  them 
all  victoriously. 

5.  Though  death  should  seem  to  pass  on  any  of 
the  promises  concerning  the  church,  yet  nothing  need 
shake  our  faith,  whilst  we  can  believe  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead;  they  will  be  given  us  "in  a  figure"  of  it. 

VERSE  20. 
By  faith  Isaac  blessed  Jacob  and  Esau  concerniJig  things  to  come. 

§1,  The  faith  of  Isaac.  Wherein  deficient.  §2.  Wherein  it  was  right.  §3.  The 
divine  purity  and  wisdom  in  ordering  and  over-ruling  the  reproveable  mistakes 
nf  men.    §4.  Isaac  blessing  his  sons,    f 5,  Concerning  tilings  to  come,  what. 


Ver.  20.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  209 

§1.  Isaac  was  an  holy  person,  who,  though  a  pil- 
grim, seems  to  have  spent  most  of  his  time  in  peace, 
and  without  great  perils  and  dangers;  wherefore,  there 
is  less  spoken  of  him,  and  the  trials  of  his  faith,  than 
either  of  his  father  or  his  son.  Nevertheless  there  is 
no  doubt  but  that  this  son  of  the  promise  led  his  life 
in  the  faith  of  the  promise;  and  the  promise  was  par- 
ticularly renewed  to  him;  Gen.  xxvi,  4.  The  apostle 
chooseth  to  instance  in  his  faith  with  respect  to  the 
blessing  of  his  sons,  which  was  in  his  old  age,  and 
was  the  most  eminent  act  of  it,  because  of  the  convey- 
ance of  the  promise  made  thereby  to  his  seed.  What- 
ever may  be  spoken  in  excuse  of  Isaac,  it  is  certain  he 
failed  greatly  in  his  inordinate  love  to  Esau,  whom  he 
could  not  but  know  to  be  a  profane  person,  and  that 
on  so  slight  an  account  as  eating  of  his  venison.  Gen. 
XXV,  28:  nor  had  he  sufficiently  inquired  into  the  mind 
of  God  in  the  oracle  that  his  wife  received  concerning 
their  sons;  tliere  is  no  question,  on  the  one  hand,  but 
that  he  knew  of  it;  nor  on  the  other,  that  he  did  not 
understand  it;  for  if  the  holy  man  had  known  that  it 
was  the  determinate  will  of  God,  he  would  not  have 
contradicted  it;  but  this  arose  from  want  of  diligent 
inquiry  into  the  mind  of  God. 

§2.  The  faith  of  Isaac  was  right  in  this,  that  the 
promise  was  sure  to  his  seed  by  virtue  of  the  covenant^ 
and  that  he  was  instrumeritally,  by  way  of  external 
evidence,  to  convey  it  by  his  solemn  benediction:  the 
first  was  express  in  the  covenant;  for  his  blessing  was 
a  promise  of  things  to  come,  as  in  the  text;  but  he 
missed  in  the  application  of  it  to  the  object  of  his  own 
intention,  though  in  fact  by  the  divine  disposal  of  cir- 
cumstances, he  was  in  the  right;  this  mistake  hindered 
not  but  that  he  blessed  Jacob  in  ftulh;  wh.erclbre,  it 


210  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  II*, 

cannot  be  denied,  but  that  sometimes,  when  true  faith 
is  rightly  fixed  on  divine  promises,  that  those  who 
truly  believe  may,  through  darkness,  infirmities,  and 
temptations,  put  themselves  on  irregular  ways  for  their 
accomplishment;  and  as  in  these  ways  may  fail  and 
miscarry,  to  the  scandal  of  religion,  and  a  dangerous 
concussion  of  their  own  faith;  so,  if  they  succeed,  their 
ways  are  not  approved  of,  as  they  will  quickly  under- 
stand; as  it  is  our  duty  firmly  to  believe  the  promises, 
so  it  is  our  wisdom  not  to  attempt,  upon  any  tempta- 
tions, provocations,  or  advantages,  their  accomplish- 
ment in  any  unwarrantable  way. 

§3.  We  may  see  herein  the  infinite  purity  of  the 
Divine  will,  effectually  accomplishing  its  own  purposes 
and  designs  through  the  failings  and  miscarriages  of 
men.  without  the  least  mixture  with,  or  approbation  of 
their  iniquities  or  miscarriages;  he  accepted  their  per- 
sons, pardoned  their  sins,  and  effected  the  matter  ac- 
cording to  their  desire. 

§4.  {EvXoy'Vi^b)  He  blessed  them;  these  patriarchal 
blessings  were,  partly,  prayers;  and  partly,  predictions; 
they  were  authoritative  applications  of  God's  promises 
to  the  person  to  whom  they  belonged  for  the  confir- 
mation of  their  faith;  so  far  as  they  consisted  in  solemn 
praijer,  they  were  an  effect  of  the  ordinary  parental 
ministry,  and  as  such  ought  to  be  used  by  all  parents; 
not  as  some,  by  the  trifling  custom  of  daily  asking  and 
giving  blessing,  but  by  solemn  reiterated  prayer  to  that 
purpose — (Uialei)  by  faith.  But  here  is  a  double  diffi- 
culty; for  the  blessing  of  Jacob  was  from  immediate 
inspiration,  and  not  intended  by  Isaac  to  be  applied 
to  Jacob;  and  the  blessing  of  Esau  only  related  to  tem- 
poral things,  not  with  respect  to  any  special  promise; 
1  answer,  as  to  the  first,  faith  was  acted  by  the  promise, 
and  was  guided  as  to  its  object  by  God's  providence; 


Ver.  20.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  211 

and  immediate  inspiration  doth  no  way  hinder  the 
actings  of  faith  on  preceding  revelations;  he  had  the 
warrant  of  the  word  of  God  before  revealed  for  the 
ground  of  his  faith,  and  his  immediate  inspiration 
guided  him  to  act  according  to  it;  and,  as  for  the  bless* 
ing  of  Esau,  although  it  respected  only  temporal  things, 
yet  he  gave  it  him  in  faith  also,  in  that  it  was  the  fruit 
of  his  prayer  for  him,  and  contained  predictions  which 
he  had  received  by  divine  revelation. 

§5.  The  subject  matter  of  both  these  things  were 
(l^eXovruv)  things  to  come;  that  is,  things  that  were  not 
yet,  nor  yet  to  have  their  present  accomplishment;  for 
that  part  of  the  blessing  of  Jacob,  that  he  should  be 
the  "Lord  of  his  brethren,"  or,  as  expressed  in  the  bless- 
ing of  Esau,  "thou  shall  serve  thy  brother,"  was  not 
fulfilled  in  their  days,  there  being  a  great  appearance 
of  the  contrary;  wherefore,  the  things  contained  in 
these  blessings,  absolutely  considered,  were  yet  to 
come  among  their  posterity.  Now  the  blessing  of 
Jacob  did  not  contain  only  a  better  portion  in  this 
world  than  that  of  Esau,  as  Grotius  would  have  it; 
nor  had  there  been  any  need  of  so  great  a  contest 
about  the  difference  between  the  land  of  Canaan  and 
that  of  Edom;  but,  as  it  comprised  the  numerous  pos- 
terity of  Jacob,  their  quiet  habitation,  power,  and  do- 
minion in  the  land  of  Canaan;  so  the  principal  subject 
of  it  was  the  enclosure  of  the  church,  the  confinement 
of  the  covenant,  the  enjoyment  of  the  promise  of  the 
blessed  seed,  to  him  and  his  offspring;  and  it  was  the 
contempt  of  this,  and  not  of  a  double  portion  of  earth- 
ly  things,  for  which  Esau  is  stigmatized  as  a  pvofanA 
pej'son. 

VOT-.  IV.  27 


i212  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 


VERSE  21. 

By  faith  Jacob  tvhen  he  nuas  a  dyings  blessed  both  the  sons  of  Jo- 
seph; and  worshipfied,  leaning  on  the  top.  of  his  staff. 

^l-  Jacob's  faith,  in  blessing  the  sons  of  Joseph-    §2.  AVhy  this  instance  selected 
$3.  Tliis  holy  reverence  and  faith.    §4,  5.  Observations. 

^1.  "By  faith  Jacob  when  he  was  a  dying;"  {wxo^wia- 
xwv,  moriens,  moriturus,  cum  morcretur,)  when  he 
drew  nigh  io  death;  pi\>bably  a  few  days  before  his 
death;  '^worshipped  leaning  on  the  top  of  his  staff;-' 
(fTTi  TO  u)iriov  Tvig  p:i(i^ii  aula)  The  Vulg.  Lat.  (et  ador- 
avit  fastigium  virgre  ejus,)  he  adored  the  top  of  his 
rod,  leaving  out  the  preposition  (en)  on,  corrupts  the 
sense;  and  hence  a  vain  and  foolish  opinion  hath  been 
fancied  about  adoring  or  worshipping  creatures  as 
remote  from  the  sense  of  this  place  as  fiom  truth. 

§2.  But  why  does  the  apostle  choose  to  instance  in 
this  particular?  for  Jacob,  as  he  abounded  in  trials  and 
temptations  above  all  the  other  patriarchs;  so  he  gave 
sundry  illustrious  testimonies  of  his  faith,  seemingly  of 
greater  evidence  than  this  of  blessing  the  sons  of  Jo- 
seph. 

This  is  the  only  difficulty  of  the  place,  which  yet 
by  expositors  is  taken  little  or  no  notice  of.  But  if  we 
look  attentively  into  the  thing  itself,  we  shall  find  that 
it  was  an  effect  of  singular  divine  w.'sdom  in  the  apos- 
tle, whereby  he  fixed  on  this  instance  of  the  faith  of 
Jacob.  For  in  his  "blessing  of  the  sons  of  Joseph," 
the  good  man,  being  near  to  death,  makes  a  recapitu- 
lation of  all  the  principal  concernments  of  his  life,  as 
it  was  a  lije  of  faith;  and  we  shall  therefore  consider 
some  of  those  circumstances,  which  manifest  how 
proper  this  instance  was  to  the  purpose  of  the  apostle. 


Vkr.  21.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  213 

1.  It  was  the  exercise  of  his  faith  in  his  dd  age; 
his  natural  decays  abated  not  in  the  least  his  spiritual 
strength. 

2.  In  this  blessing  of  Joseph  and  his  sons,  he  sol- 
emnly recognized,  pleaded,  and  asserted  the  covenant 
made  with  Abraham;  ''God  before  whom  my  fathers 
Abraham  and  Isaac  did  walk,"  Gen.  xlviii,  15;  this  is 
the  life  of  faith, — "to  lay  hold  on  the  covenant," — and 
this  he  did  expressly. 

3.  As  he  made  a  solemn  acknowledgment  of  all 
spiritual  mercies  by  virtue  of  the  covenant;  so  he 
added  thereunto  that  of  all  temporal  mercies  also;  "the 
God  which  fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  that  day."  It 
was  a  work  of  faith  to  retain  a  precious  thankful  re- 
membrance of  divine  Providence,  during  the  whole 
course  of  his  life. 

4.  He  reflects  on  all  the  hazards,  trials,  and  evils 
that  befell  him,  and  the  exercise  of  his  faith  in  them 
all.    "Redeemed  me  from  all  evil." 

5.  In  particular,  he  remembers  the  actings  of  his 
faith  in  the  matter  recorded  by  Hosea,  chap,  xii,  3,  4; 
and  of  his  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  in  an  especial  man- 
ner, as  he  was  the  angel  of  the  covenant.  '-The  angel, 
saith  he,  that  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads." 
By  this  ''angel"  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  he 
was  to  be  the  messenger  of  the  covenant  and  the  re- 
deemer of  the  church  is  undoubtedly  intended. 

6.  The  difference  here  made  between  the  sons  of 
Joseph,  when  he  was  blind,  the  disposal  of  his  hands, 
contrary  to  the  desire  of  their  father;  with  the  predic- 
tion of  their  condition  many  ages  after, — were  all  evi- 
dences of  the  special  presence  of  God  with  him,  and 
consequently  of  his  own  faith  in  God. 

7.  He  laid  the  foundation  of  his  faith  in  an  especial 
revelation;  Gen.  xlviii,  3,  "And  Jacob  said  unto  Jo- 


jB14  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

sepb,  God  Almighty,  (God  in  covenant  with  me) 
appeared  unto  me  at  Luz,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
blessed  me,"  &c.  On  all  these  considerations  (and 
several  others  that  might  be  mentioned)  it  is  evident, 
that  the  apostle  fixed  on  this  instance  of  faith  in  Jacob, 
for  weighty  reasons. 

§3.  The  latter  clause  of  the  words,  or  the 
other  instance  of  the  faith  of  Jacob,  that  "he 
worshipped  leaning  on  the  top  of  the  staff,"  hath 
a  peculiar  difficulty  in  it,  from  a  difference  be- 
tween the  words  of  the  apostle,  and  those  of  Moses 
concerning  the  same  thing,  Gen.  xlvii.  But  we  should 
not  forget  that  the  apostle  doth  not  tie  himself  to  the 
express  words  of  the  original  text  in  his  allegations 
out  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  only  gives  the  certain 
sense  and  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them.  The 
word  in  the  original  (ni3»)  may  have  a  different  pro- 
nunciation by  a  different  supply  of  vowels,  and  so  a  dif- 
ferent signification.  If  we  read  itmi/^«/^,it  signifies  a  bed, 
as  we  render  it  in  Genesis;  if  we  read  it  miiteh,  it  signi- 
fies a  staff  or  a  rod,  on  which  a  man  may  lean;  both 
from  the  same  verb  (fll3i)  to  extend  or  to  incline.  And 
hence  the  difference  arises.  Although  I  will  not  con- 
tend that  the  words  in  that  place  have  a  double  signi- 
ficaticn,  of  a  bed  and  a  staff,  yet  this  is  the  true  solu- 
tion of  this  difficulty;  the  apostle  did  not  design  a  pre- 
cise translation-  of  the  words  of  Moses,  but  intended 
only  to  express  the  same  thing;  and  whereas  that  was 
undoubtedly  the  posture  of  Jacob  in  worshipping  God, 
the  apostle  useth  his  liberty  in  expressing  it  by  his 
"leaning  on  his  staff;"  for  that  he  did  "bow  towards 
the  head  of  the  bed,"  and  at  the  same  time  "lean  on 
his  staff,"  we  are  assured  by  comparing  the  divine  wri- 
ters together;  see  1  Kings  i,  47.  Jacob's  leaning  on 
his  staff,  added  to — his  "bowing  himself  unto  the  head 
^f  the  bed,"  completes  the  representation  of  his  rever- 


Ver.  21.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  215 

ence  and  faith:  by  the  one  he  bowed  down,  by  the 
other  he  sustained  himself;  as  whatever  sustains  and 
supports,  is  in  sciipture  called  a  staff. 
§4.    Hence  observe, 

1.  It  is  an  eminent  mercy  when  faith  not  only- 
holds  out  to  the  end,  but  waxeth  strong  towards  the 
last  conflict  with  death;    as  in  the  case  with  Jacob. 

2.  It  is  also  a  signal  mercy  to  be  able  by  faith  in 
the  close  of  our  pilgrimage  to  recapitulate  all  the  pas- 
sages of  our  lives,  in  mercies,  trials,  afflictions,  so  as  to. 
give  glory  to  God  with  respect  to  them  all;  thus  did 
Jacob. 

3.  That  which  enlivens  and  encourages  faith,  as  to 
other  things  is  a  peculiar  respect  to  the  angel,  the  Re- 
deemer, by  whom  all  grace  and  mercy  is  communica- 
ted to  us. 

4.  It  is  our  duty  so  to  live  in  a  constant  exercise  of 
faith,  as  that  we  may  be  ready  and  strong  in  it  when 
we  die. 

5.  Though  we  should  "die  daily,"  yet  there  is  a  pe- 
culiar season^  when  death  is  in  its  near  approach, 
which  requires  particular  actings  of  faith. 

§5.  1.  "In  all  acts  of  divine  worship,  whether  solemn 
or  occasional,  it  is  our  duty  to  dispose  our  bodies  to 
such  a  posture  of  reverence,  as  may  represent  the  in- 
ward frame  of  our  minds."  So  did  Jacob;  and  it  is 
reckoned  as  an  act  of  his  faith. 

2.  There  is  an  allowance  for  the  infirmities  of  age 
and  sickness,  in  our  outward  deportment  in  di- 
vine worship,  so  that  there  be  no  indulgence  to  sloth, 
and  that  a  due  reverence  of  God  and  holy  things  be 
preserved.  These  postures  which  are  commended  in 
Jacob,  vvould  not  become  others  in  their  health  and 
strength.  So  David  affirms  that  he  would  "rise  at 
midnight  (out  of  his  bed)  to  give  thanks  to  God," 
Psalm  cxix,  62. 


gl6  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  U. 


VERSE  22. 

By  faith  Joseph,  ivhtn  he  dif^d,  made  mentio?t  of  the  departing  of 
the  children  of  Inrael;  and  gave  commandment  concerning  his 
bones. 

§1.  Two  instances  of  the  faith  of  Joseph.  $2,  First,  his  making  mention  of  the 
departure  of  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt.  To  whoni^,  wlien,  and  the 
■way  whereby.  .^,3  .Secondly,  his  commandment  concerning  his  bones.  S4- 
The  evidencs  of  his  faitli  in  this  particular.  The  popish  argument  for  relics, 
ridiculous.     §5.  Observations, 

§1.  1  WO  instances  are  here  proposed  of  the  faith  of 
Joseph — That  he  made  mention  of  the  departing  of 
the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt;  and — that  he  gave 
commands  concerning  his  bones.  The  account  is 
given  in  the  close  of  the  book  of  Genesis. 

§2.  The  first  instance  proposed  of  Joseph's  faith,  is 
*'his  making  mention  of  the  departing  of  the  children 
of  Israel"  out  of  Egypt.     But, 

1.  To  whom  did  he  spake  these  words,  and  gave 
this  charge?  To  ''his  hrethren^^  Gen*  i,  24.  Some  of 
his  own  hrdhrai  strictly  so  called,  were  yet  alive,  as 
is  evident  concerning  Levi.  For  Joseph,  when  he 
died,  was  but  a  hundred  and  ten  years  old,  ver.  26; 
and  Levi  lived  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  years, 
being  not  twenty  years  older  than  Joseph.  Also  un- 
der the  name  of  his  '-brethren"  his  hvoiher''s  son  may 
be  intended,  as  is  usual.  But  as  to  the  command  con- 
cerning his  bones,  the  expression  is  changed.  For  it 
is  said,  that  he  took  an  oath  of  the  children  of  Israel; 
and  so  it  is  again  repeated,  Exod.  xiii,  10.  "He  had 
straitly  sworn  the  children  of  Israel;"  that  is,  he  brought 
the  whole  people  into  this  engagement  by  the  heads  of 
their  tribes,  that  they  might  be  obliged  in  after  genera- 
tions; for  he  foresaw  that  it  would  not  be  the  work 
of  them  who  were  then  living.  Moreover  we  may 
notice, 


Vkr.  22.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  217' 

2.  The  time  wherein  these  things  were  done,  {rehev- 
Tuv)  "when  he  was  dying.^''  "And  Joseph  said  unto 
his  brethren,  I  die.^^  This  evidence  he  gave  of  the 
steadfastness  o(  his  faith,  that  it  had  accompanied  him 
through  all  his  afflictions  and  prosperity,  not  forsai^ing 
him  now  at  his  death.  He  had  lived  longer  in  glory, 
power,  and  wealth;  but  through  all  he  preserved  his 
faith  in  the  promise  of  God  entire. 

3.  In  the  way  whereby  he  expressed  his  faith,  we 
may  remark  the  object  of  it,  or  what  he  did  beiievej 
and — the  manner  of  his  acting  tliat  faith. 

This  ^'departure  of  the  children  of  Israel"  is  not  in- 
tended as  a  mere  departing  thence;  but  such  as  where- 
by the  promise  made  to  their  fathers  should  be  accom- 
plished; and  he  seems  to  have  respect  to  the  promise 
made  to  Abraham,  Gen.  xv,  13,  14;  ^^  herein  the  so- 
journing and  affliction  of  his  seed  in  a  strange  land  was 
determined  before  their  admission  into  the  land  of 
Canaan. 

As  to  the  manner  of  acting  his  faith  towards  this  ob- 
ject, he  '-made  meniion^^  of  it;  he  called  his  brethren 
to  him,  and  spake  of  it  unto  them  all.  Gen.  i,  24;  both 
to  discharge  his  own  duty,  (for  with  the  mouth  con- 
fession is  made  unto  salvation)  and  to  strengthen  their 
faith;  for  when  they  found  that  he  in  all  his  glory 
and  wealth  embraced  the  promise,  and  died  in  the 
faith  of  it,  what  a  great  encouragement  was  it  to  them, 
who  were  in  a  meaner  condition,  firmly  to  cleave  to 
the  same  promise;  and  when  any  who  are  great, 
mighty,  and  wealthy  in  the  world,  do  in  their  public 
profession  prefer  the  promises  of  t!ie  gospel  to  their 
present  enjoyments,  it  is  of  great  use  in  the  church. 

He  ''made  mention"  of  it,  or  called  it  to  remem- 
brance; it  was  not  that  which  he  had  by  immediate 
present  revelation;  but  it  was  from  his  reliance  on  the 


^18  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12; 

promises  long  before  given;  the  prospect  of  their  bond- 
age and  helpless  condition  did  not  at  all  weaken  his 
faith  as  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  promise;  where- 
fore, when  the  apostle  says,  that  he  "made  mention  of 
the  departing  of  the  children  of  Israel,"  he  had  not 
only  respect  to  the  thing  itself,  but  also  to  the  man- 
ner and  circumstances  of  it;  that  it  should  be  after 
great  oppression,  and  by  a  work  of  almighty  powers 

This  was  a  proper  season  for  Joseph  to  make  men- 
tion of  the  promise  and  its  accomplishment,  and  his 
embracing  of  it  shews  the  wisdom  of  his  faith;  he  was 
now  dying;  and  at  the  solemn  juncture,  his  bretliren, 
the  posterity  of  Jacob,  knew  not  vvhat  would  become 
of  them,  being  deprived  of  him  who  was  their  only 
protector;  at  this  season,  to  testify  his  own  faith  in  the 
promise,  now  he  had  no  more  concernment  in  this 
world,  and  to  encourage  them  to  the  like  confidence 
in  it,  makes  mention  of  his  accomplishment. 

§3.  Secondly,  There  is  a  particular  instance  of  the 
faith  of  Joseph,  in  that  {evelsiKalo)  "/?e  gave  command- 
ment concerning  his  bones,"  which  Was  peculiar  to 
himself.  What  the  apostle  expresseth  by  his  com- 
manding, or  giving  commandment  was  his  taking  art 
oath  of  his  brethren  and  their  posterity  in  them,  Gen. 
1,  25.  "He  straitly  charged  the  children  of  Israel  with 
an  oath,"  Exod.  xiii,  19;  as  it  was  an  act  of  author- 
ity in  him,  (for  he  had  the  rule  over  his  brethren,)  it 
was  a  command;  the  manner  of  the  obligation  to  the 
performance  of  it  was  by  an  oath.  So  Abraham  gave 
charge  and  command  to  Eliezer  his  servant  about  tak- 
ing a  wife  for  Isaac  with  an  oath,  Gen.  xxiv,  2,  3,  9; 
and  this  kind  of  oaths  in  things  lawful,  for  a  good  end 
not  arbitrarily  imposed,  but  entered  into  by  consent^ 
are  good  in  themselves,  and  sometimes  iiecessary;  the 
apostle  saith  only,  that  "he  gavecommandment  concern^ 


Veh.  i2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  219 

itig  his  bones;"  and  doth  not  declare  what  it  was  that 

he  gave  in  charge  concerning  them;  but  this  is  expres- 
sed in  the  story,  viz.  "that  when  God  visited  them,  and 

delivered  them  out  of  Egypt,  they  should  carry  his 
bones  along  with  tiiem  into  Canaan,"  Gen.  1, 25.  In 
order  to  this  they  embalmed  him,  and  put  him  in  a 
coffin  in  Egypt,  ver.  26;  probably  the  Egyptians  left 
the  care  of  his  funeral  to  his  brethren,  and  that  his 
coffin  remained  in  the  custody  of  their  posterity,  per- 
haps his  own  in  particular,  until  the  time  of  their  de- 
parture; then   Moses  took  him   into  his  care,  Exod. 

xiii,  19;  and  the  issue  of  the  whole  was,  that  into  the 
land  of  Canaan  they  were  safely  carried,  according  to 
the  oath  of  the  people,  and  buried  in  Sichem,  in  a  par- 
cel of  ground  whereof  Jacob  had  made  a  purchase, 
and  left  it  in  legacies  to  the  children  of  Joseph,  Josh, 
xxiv,  32. 

§4.  But  there  were  some  things  peculiar  to  Joseph 
which  caused  his  faith  to  act  in  this  way  about  the 
disposal  of  his  bones.     For, 

1.  He  had  been  of  great  power,  authority,  and  dig- 
nity among  the  Egyptians;  his  fame  and  reputation 
for  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  legislation  were  great 
among  the  nations;  he  might  therefore  justly  have 
feared,  that  if  he  had  not  thus  openly  renounced  all 
cognation  and  alliance  with  them,  he  might  among 
posterity  be  esteemed  an  Egyptian,  which  he  abhor- 
red; therefore  he  established  this  lasting  monument  of 
his  being  of  the  seed  and  posterity  of  Abraham,  and 
not  an  Egyptian;  yea,  it  is  thought  by  many  that  in 
after  ages  they  worshipped  him  under  the  name  of 
Serapis,  and  the  symbol  of  an  ox;  but  this  (as  much 
as  in  him  was)  he  prevented  by  the  removal  of  his 
bones. 

2.  He  did  it  plainly  to  encourage  the  faith  and  ex- 
VOL.  IV.  28' 


220  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  U. 

pectation  of  his  brethren  and  their  posterity,  both  for 
the  certainty  of  their  furure  deliverance,  and  also  to 
take  them  off  from  all  intention  to  fix  themselves  in 
Egypt,  seeing  he  who  had  all  advantages  above  them 
for  that  end,  would  not  have  so  much  as  his  bones  to 
abide  in  the  land;  the  frame  of  his  spirit,  now  he  was 
dying,  may  be  fairly  considered  as  an  indication  of 
what  it  was  in  the  whole  course  of  his  life;  he  is  not 
solicitous  about  the  disposal  of  his  wealth  and  reve- 
nues, which  no  doubt  were  very  great;  but  his  mind  is 
wholly  on  the  promise^  and  thereby  on  the  covenant 
with  Abraham;  it  is  highly  probable  that  his  wife  Ase- 
nath,  a  woman  of  a  princely  family,  was  converted 
from  idolatry  to  the  knowledge  of  God  and  faith  in 
him;  and  hereon,  probably,  she  also  was  contented 
that  her  children  and  posterity  should  fall  from  their 
parental  honor  and  revenues,  to  take  up  their  portion 
among  the  aftlicted  people  of  God.  The  mighty 
working  of  his  faith  shines  out  in  all  these  things;  and 
this  instance  of  the  apostle  eminently  suited  the  argu- 
ment he  had  in  hand. 

The  plea  of  some  of  the  Roman  church  from  this 
place,  for  the  perservation  and  veneration  of  reliqiies, 
or  the  hones  of  saints  departed — digging  men's  bones 
out  of  their  graves,  enshrining  and  placing  them  on 
altai^,  carrying  them  up  and  down  in  procession, 
adorning  them  with  all  signs  of  religious  veneration, 
applying  them  to  miraculous  operations  in  curing  dis- 
eases, casting  out  devils,  and  the  like — is  ridiculous  and 
contemptible. 

§5.  Hence  we  may  observe, 

1 .  That  it  is  of  great  use  to  the  edification  of  the 
church,  that  such  believers  as  have  been  eminent  in 
profession,  should  at  their  dying  moments  testify  their 
faith  iji  the  promises  of  God;  so  did  Jacob,  so  did 


Ver.  23.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  221 

Joseph;  and  blessed  be  God,  so  others  have  done,  to 
the  great  advantage  of  tlie  living. 

2.  Joseph,  after  his  trial  of  all  that  this  world  could 
afford,  and  when  he  was  dying,  chose  the  jjromise  for 
his  lot  and  portion. 

3.  No  interposition  of  difficulties  ought  to  weaken 
our  faith,  as  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  promises  of 
God. 

VERSE  23. 
By  faith  Moses,  ivhen  he  was  born,  was  hid  three  months  of  his 
parents,  because  they    saw    he  was  a  profier   child;  and    they 
were  7iot  afraid  of  the  king's  commandment. 

Jl.  The  parents  of  Moses,  their  faith.  §2.  The  cruelty  of  Pharaoh  prevented. 
§3.  Moses  hid  by  his  parents.  §4.  A  peculiar  motive  to  it.  §5,6.  Faith  the 
principle  of  their  actings.    §7.  Observations. 

§1.  Jn  searching  the  sacred  records  of  eminent  ex- 
amples of  the  power  and  efficacy  of  faith,  the  apostle 
proceeds  to  Moses;  and  indeed,  if  we  consider  his  per- 
son and  circumstances,  the  work  he  was  called  to,  the 
trials,  difficulties,  and  temptations  he  had  to  engage 
with,  the  concernment  of  the  glory  of  God  and  of  the 
whole  church  in  him,  the  illustrious  representation  of 
the  redemption  and  deliverance  of  the  church  by 
Christ  in  what  he  did,  with  his  success  and  victory 
over  all  opposition,  we  must  acknowledge  that  there 
cannot  be  a  more  excellent  exemplification  of  the  pow- 
er of  faith,  than  that  was  which  was  given  in  him;  for 
this  cause,  the  apostle  takes  one  step  backwards,  to  de- 
clare the  faith  of  his  parents  in  preserving  him  when 
an  infant. 

§2.  After  that  Pharaoh  failed  in  his  design  of  des- 
troying the  male  children  of  the  Hebrews  by  the  mid- 
wives,  he  gave  the  execution  of  it  in  charge  to  all  the 
officers  among  them,  who  no  doubt  were  safficicntlv 


^5^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

diligent  and  officious  in  the  work  committed  to  them. 
About  the  very  entrance  of  this  new  effectual  way  of 
destroying  the  male  children,  when  their  rage  was 
most  fierce,  no  way  abated  by  compassion,  not  weari- 
ed by  long  continuance,  nor  weakened  by  want  of 
success,  Moses,  who  was  destined  to  be  the  deliverer 
of  the  whole  people  from  their  misery,  is  born  and  pre- 
served. How  blind  are  poor  sinful  mortals  in  all  their 
contrivances  against  the  church  of  God!  When  they 
think  all  is  secure,  and  that  they  shall  not  fail  of  their 
end,  that  their  counsels  are  laid  so  deep  as  not  to  be 
blown  up,  their  power  so  uncontrollable,  and  the  way 
wherein  they  are  engaged  so  effectual,  that  God  him- 
self can  hardly  deliver  his  servants  out  of  their  hands; 
he  that  sits  on  high  laughs  them  to  scorn,  and  with  an 
almighty  facility  lays  in  provision  utterly  to  destroy 
them,  and  to  deliver  his  church. 

§3.  "Moses  was  hid  three  months  (uto  twv  'zulspuv 
av\ii)oflus  parents.^^  The  word  (iralspsg)  fathers,  is  here 
used  in  the  common  gender  for  (yoveig)  parents;  in  the 
story  there  is  mentioned  only  of  his  mother,  Exod.  ii,  2; 
and  that  was,  because  the  execution  of  the  counsel  or 
advice  was  committed  to  her;  wherein  she  used  also  the 
helps  of  her  daughters,  ver.  4;  but  it  is  plain  his  father 
was  no  less  engaged  in  this  work  and  duty  than  his 
mother;  (fKpu3vi  Tp/fiv^yov)  he  teas  hid  by  them  three 
months;  herein  they  exercised  their  faith,  in  that  they 
concealed,  as  much  as  they  were  able,  that  a  male  child 
was  born  in  the  family;  they  kept  him  not  in  the  usual 
place  for  children,  but  hid  him  in  some  secret  part  of  the 
house.  Here  he  abode  "three  months;"  about  the  end 
of  which  time  probably  the  report  began  to  grow,  that 
there  was  a  male  child  born  there,  which  would  have 
occasioned  an  immediate  strict  search,   from  which 


Ver.  23.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  223 

they  could  not  have  preserved  him.  No  doubt  but 
during  this  season  their  diligence  was  accompanied 
with  fervent  cries  to  God,  and  the  exercise  oi  trust  in 
him.  The  occasion  was  great  on  all  hands,  and  they 
were  not  wanting  to  their  duty.  The  outward  act  of 
hiding  the  child  was  but  an  indication  of  the  internal 
working  of  faith. 

§4.  "  Because  they  saw  he  was  a  proper  child;" 
{^loli)  because,  or  when,  or  whereas  they  saw.  It 
doth  not  include  the  whole  cause  of  what  they  did,  as 
if  this  were  the  only  reason  why  they  did  it,  but  it  res- 
pects that  impression  on  their  minds  which  the  sight 
of  the  child  gave  them,  exciting  them  to  that  duty 
which  they  had  other  gi'ounds  and  reasons  for.  It  is 
granted,  the  sight  of  the  child  greatly  excited  their  natur- 
al affections,  by  which  their  minds  were  made  the  more 
ready  to  engage  in  the  hazard  which  faith  called  them  to, 
for  his  preservation.  They  saw  that  he  was  [a^'eio  to 
'^ui^iov)  a  proper  child.  The  Hebrew  word  (3113 )  Tob,  is 
applied  to  every  thing  that  is  on  any  account  approve- 
able  and  excellent  in  its  kind.  The  word  signifies 
comely,  beautiful,  goodly,  {uya&og,  -Aahog.)  Holy  Stephen 
expressed  the  force  of  the  Hebrew  word  by  {u7'ieioq  tw 
Qeujfair  to  God,  or  in  the  sight  of  God,  Acts  vii,  20; 
which  we  render  exceeding  fair.  No  doubt  but  some 
unusual  sweetness  and  beauty  of  countenance  is  intend- 
ed. And  not  only  so,  but  I  am  persuaded,  from  that 
expression  of  Stephen,  that  there  was  (6f/ov  n)  an  ap- 
pearance oLsojuewhai  divine  and  supernatural,  which 
drew  the  thoughts  of  the  parents  to  a  deep  considera- 
tion of  the  child.  They  quickly  thought  it  was  not 
for  nothing  that  God  had  given  such  a  peculiarly 
promisin gcountenance  to  the  infant.  This  not  only, 
drew  their  affections,  engaged  them,  but  moved  tlieir 
minds  and  judgments  to  endeavor  all  lawful  ways  for 


224  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

his  preservation.  Note;  it  is  well,  when  any  thing  of 
eminency  in  our  children  doth  so  engage  our  affections 
to  them,  as  to  make  them  useful  and  subservient  to 
diligence  in  the  disposing  of  them  to  the  glory  of 
God.  Otherwise,  a  fondness  in  parents  arising  from 
the  natural  endowments  o  f  children,  is  usually  hurtful 
and  oftentimes  ruinous  to  both. 

§5.  The  principle  of  their  actings  for  his  preserva- 
tion in /lirfijzg  him,  as  also  in  the  means  afterwards 
used,  was  their  faith. 

1 .  I  take  it  for  granted,  that  they  had  no  special  par- 
ticular revelation  concerning  the  life  and  work  of  this 
child.  No  such  thing  is  mentioned,  nor  was  it  need- 
ful for  the  acting  of  faith  in  this  matter;  and  the  man- 
ner of  their  deportment  in  the  whole  manifests  that 
they  had  no  such  thing. 

2.  They  had  a  firm  faith  concerning  the  deliverance 
of  the  people  out  of  bondage  in  the  appointed  season. 
This  they  had  an  express  promise  for,  and  were  pecu- 
liarly engaged  to  the  belief  of  it  by  the  divine  testimo- 
ny of  Joseph,  and  his  charge  to  carry  his  bones  with 
them;  and  with  respect  to  this  deliverance  they  are 
said,  "Not  to  fear  the  king's  command,"  which  was 
the  effect  of  their  faith. 

§6.  It  was  [liciluy^ci)  an  ordinance,  a  statute,  an 
edict  which  had  the  force  of  a  standing  law,  establish- 
ed by  the  king,  with  the  council  of  the  kingdom,  Exod. 
i,  9 — 11;  and  this  law  lay  directly  against  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  promise-,  for  it  aimed  at  the  extirpa- 
tion of  the  whole  race.  This  the  parents  of  Moses 
feared  not;  they  knew  the  promise  of  God  for  their 
preservation,  multiplication,  and  deliverance  should 
take  place,  notwithstanding  all  the  laws  of  men,  and 
the  highest  rage  in  their  execution.  God  having  promis- 
ed to  Abraham,  that  he  would  multiply  his  seed,  and 


Ver.  23.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  225 

expressly  to  Jacob,  that  he  would  do  it  in  Egypt,  Gen. 
xlvi.3;it  utterly  made  void  this  law  from  the  first 
enacting.  They  had  also  a  persuasion  that  God  would 
provide  a  person  who  should  by  the  means  of  their 
obedience,  and  who  should  conduct  them  from  their 
bondage.  This  Moses  himself  apprehended  when  he 
he  slew  the  Egyptian,  and  began  to  judge  that  he 
himself  might  be  the  person,  Acts  vii,  24, 25.  And  al- 
though afterwards  he  said,  "Omy  Lord,  send  I  pray 
thee  by  the  hand  of  him  whom  thou  wilt  send,"  Exod. 
iv,  13;  he  was  sure  he  would  send  one,  but  prayed 
that  he  might  not  be  the  man.  Now  the  parents  of 
Moses,  having  this  persuasion  deeply  fixed  in  them, 
and  being  raised  by  their  distresses  to  desires  and  ex- 
pectations of  a  deliverer,  beholding  also  the  unusual 
divine  beauty  of  their  child — might  well  be  raised  to 
some  just  hopes,  that  God  had  designed  him  to  that 
great  work.  Though  they  had  no  special  revelation 
of  it,  they  had  such  an  intm^ation  of  some  great  end 
God  had  designed  him  for,  as  that  they  could  not  but 
say,  "Who  knows  but  God  may  have  prepared  this 
child  for  that  end?"  and  sometimes,  as  to  the  event  of 
things,  faith  riseth  no  higher,  than  to  such  an  inter- 
rogation; as  Joel  ii,  13,  "they  feared  not  the  king's 
edict."  There  is  no  mention  of  any  thing  in  the  roy- 
al mandate  but  that  "every  male  child  should  be  cast 
into  the  river,"  Exod.  i,  22;  but  it  is  generally  and  ra- 
tionally apprehended,  that  they  were  forbid  to  hide 
their  children  on  pain  of  death.  This  they  were  not 
so  afraid  of  as  to  neglect  their  duty.  Neither  was 
their  change  of  method  from  want  of  faith,  but  rather 
an  effect  and  fruit  of  it.  For  when  one  lawful  way  of 
preservation  from  persecution,  oppression,  and  cruelty 
will  not  secure  us  any  longer,  it  is  our  duty  to  betake 
ourselves  to  some  other  which  is  more  likely  to  do  so. 


226  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

For  faith  worketh  by  trust  in  God,  whilst  we  are  in 
the  use  of  lawful  means. 
§7.    Hence  observe, 

1 .  Where  there  is  an  agreement  between  husband 
and  wife,  in  faith  and  in  fear  of  the  Lord,  it  makes 
way  to  a  blessed  success  in  all  their  duties;  when  it  is 
otherwise,  nothing  succeeds  to  their  comfort. 

2.  When  difficult  duties  befall  persons  in  that  rela- 
tion, it  is  their  wisdom  to  apply  themselves  to  that 
part  and  share  of  it,  which  they  are  best  suited  for. 
So  was  it  in  this  case;  Amram,  no  doubt,  was  the  prin- 
cipal in  the  advice  and  contrivance,  as  his  wife  was  in 
its  actual  execution. 

3.  This  is  the  height  of  persecution,  when  private 
houses  are  searched  by  bloody  officers  to  execute  ty- 
rannical laws;  when  the  last  and  utmost  retreat  of  inno- 
cency.  for  that  protection  which  is  due  to  it  by  the  law 
of  God  and  nature,  with  the  common  rules  of  human 
society,  cannot  be  a  shelter  against  wicked  rage  and 
fury. 

4.  The  rage  of  men  and  the  faith  of  the  church 
shall  work  out  the  accomplishment  of  God's  counsels 
and  promises,  to  his  glory,  from  under  all  perplexities 
and  difficulties  that  may  arise  in  opposition  to  it. 

VERSES  24-.-26. 
By  faith  Moses  luhen  he  was  come  to  years^  refused  to  be  called 
the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter;  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction 
with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 
season,  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than 
the  treasures  of  Egypt;  for  he  had  respect  unto  the  reconi- 
pence  of  renvard. 

t.  The  faith  of  Moses.  §'2.  (I.)  When  he  was  come  to  years.  §3.  Refused 
Uie  honor  of  his  adoption,  ^i.  Ry  what  means  came  Moses  to  know  his 
adoption?  §5.  When  did  he  refuse  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter. 
$6 — 10  The  choice  and  faith  of  Moses.  $U.  his  motive,  $12— -15.  (Ilj  Ob- 
servations. 

§1.    X  HIS  example  is  great  and  signal.     The  apostle, 
as  we  shewed  before,  takes  his  instances  from  the  three 


Ver.  24—26.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        £27 

states  of  the  church  under  the  Old  Testament.  The 
Jirsf  was  from  the  giving  of  the  Jir^st  promise  continu- 
ing to  the  call  of  Abraham.  The  second  hud  its  be- 
ginning and  confirmation  in  the  call  of  Abraham,  with 
the  covenant  made  with  him  and  the  token  thereof. 
The  constitution  and  consecration  of  the  lliird  state 
of  the  church  was  in  giving  the  law,  and  herein  an 
instance  is  given  in  the  lawgiver  himself.  All  to  man- 
ifest, that  whatever  outward  variations  the  church  pas- 
sed under,  yet  faith  and  the  promises  were  of  the 
same  efficacy  and  power  under  them  all, 

§2,  (I.)  '^By  faith  Moses  when  he  was  come  to 
years."  None  in  the  old  world  was  more  signalized 
by  Providence  in  his  birth,  education,  and  actions, 
than  Moses.  Hence  his  renown  was  b<.th  then,  and 
ever  after,  very  great.  He  was  the  lawgiver;  whence 
it  is  manifest,  that  the  law  is  not  opposite  to  faith,  see- 
ing the  lawgiver  himself  lived  thereby. 

(Mfya;  yivo[j.e\io(;,cum  esset  grandis,  cum f actus  esset,) 
When  he  became  great.  Sijriac:  "When  he  was  a 
man."  The  word  may  respect  either  state  and  condi- 
tion, or  time  of  life  and  stature.  To  become  great, 
is  in  scripture  and  common  speech,  to  become  so  in 
wealth,  riches,  or  power,  Gen.  xxiv,  35;  andxxvi,  13; 
and  so  Moses  was  come  to  wealth,  power,  and  honor 
in  the  court  of  Pharaoh,  and  hence  the  greatness  of  his 
selfdenial  here  commended.  But  although  this  be  tj^iie 
materially,  and  hath  an  especial  influence  to  the  com- 
mendation of  the  faith  of  Moses,  yet  it  is  not  primari- 
ly intended  in  this  expression;  ibr,  having  declared  the 
faith  of  his  parents,  and  the  providence  of  God  to- 
wards him  in  his  infancy,  in  the  foregoing  verses  the 
apostle  here  shews  what  his  own  way  and  acting,  was 
after  he  grew  up  to  years  of  understanding.     So  the 

VOL.  IV.  29 


EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.    U. 

word  (i^syciQ)  is  used  for  one  that  is  grown  up  to  bo 
a  man,  (sui  juris)  to  act  the  duty  whereunto  he  was 
called;  Exod.  ii,  11,  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  those 
da3'3,  after  Moses  was  grown  up,  that  he  went  out 
unto  his  brethren;"  where  the  Hebrew  (Mti^ts  'r>nj'»1)  is 
by  the  Septuagint  rendered  by  (jxeya?  yfvojxfvo?)  the 
words  here  used.  According  as  he  grew  up  in  stature 
and  understanding,  he  acted  faith  in  the  duties  where- 
unto he  was  called. 

§3.  "He  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter."  It  is  manifest  from  the  story,  Exod.  ii; 
upon  Pharaoh's  daughter  first  finding  him  in  the  river, 
and  saving  his  life,  she  gave  orders  to  his  mother  who 
appeared  for  a  nurse,  that  she  should  "nurse  him  for 
her's,"  verse  9.  When  he  was  weaned,  his  mother 
carried  him  to  her.  And  it  must  be  acknowledged, 
that  there  was  no  less  danger  and  trial  of  the  faith  of 
his  parents  herein,  than  when  they  put  him  into  an 
ark  of  bulrushes  floating  on  the  river.  For  to  carry  a 
tender  infant,  probably  about  three  years  of  age,  to  be 
bred  in  an  idolatrous,  persecuting  court,  was  no  less 
dangerous  to  his  soul  and  eternal  condition,  than  the 
exposing  of  him  in  the  river  was  to  his  natural  life. 
But  when  Moses  was  thus  brought  to  court  to  Pha- 
raoh's daughter,  it  is  said  he  became  her  son.  It  is 
probable  she  hadjio  other  child;  and  that  she  solemn- 
ly adopted  him  to  be  her  son,  and  consequently  the 
heir  of  all  her  honor  and  riches,  which  ensued  on 
adoption.  Hereon  she  gave  him  his  name,  as  was 
usual  in  cases  of  adoption,  taking  it  from  the  first  oc- 
casion of  her  owning  him.  She  called  his  name  Mos- 
es; and  she  said  "because  I  drew  him  out  of  the  wa- 
ter." And  this  is  what  God  would  have  him  use,  as  a 
perpetual  remembrance  of  his  deliverance,  when  he 
^vas  in  an  helpless  condition.     Being   thus  publicly 


Ver.  24-.26.       EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        229 

adopted  and  owned,  he  was  by  all  esteemed,  honored, 
and  called  "the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter." 

§4.  It  may  be  inquired  by  what  means  (supposing 
Moses  to  be  carried  to  Pharaoh's  daughter  presently 
after  he  was  weaned,  and  thenceforth  brought  up  in 
the  court)  by  what  means  could  he  come  to  know  his 
stock,  race,  and  kindred,  so  as,  upon  all  disadvantages, 
to  cleave  to  them,  to  the  relinquishment  of  his  new 
regal  relation?  I  answer, 

1.  He  found  himseU  circumcised,  and  so  to  belong 
to  the  circumcised  people.  Hereon  God  instructed 
him  to  inquire  into  the  reason  and  nature  of  that  dis- 
tinguishing character;  and  so  he  learned  that  it  was  the 
token  of  God's  covenant  with  the  people,  the  posterity 
of  Abraham,  of  whom  he  was;  it  was  a  blessed  inlet 
into  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  the  true  God.  And 
whatever  is  pretended  by  some  to  the  contrary,  it  is  a 
most  eminent  divine  privilege  to  have  the  seal  of  the 
covenant  in  baptism  communicated  to  the  children  of 
believers  in  their  infancy;  and  a  means  it  hath  been  to 
preserve  many  from  fatal  apostasies. 

2.  His  nurse,  who  was  his  mother,  was  frequently 
with  him,  and  probably  his  fiither,  on  the  same  ac- 
count. Whether  they  were  ever  known  to  the  Egyp- 
tians to  be  his  parents,  I  very  much  question.  But 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they,  truly  fearing  God,  and  so- 
licitous about  his  eternal  condition,  took  care  to  com- 
municate to  him  the  principles  of  true  religion,  with  a 
detestation  of  the  Egyptian  idolatries  and  superstition. 

3.  The  notoriety  of  the  fact  was  continually  before 
him.  It  was  known  to  all  Egypt  that  he  was  of  an 
Hebrew  extraction,  and  nonincorporated  into  the  roy- 
al fcunily  of  the  Egyptians.  Heieon  he  considered 
what  these  two  people  were,  what  was  the  difierencc 
between  them;  and  ([uickly  (^und  which  of  them  wat 


230  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

the  people  of  God,  and  how  they  came  to  be  so.  By 
these  means  his  mind  was  inlaid  with  the  principles  of 
faith  and  the  true  religion,  before  he  was  given  up  to 
learn  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  and  before  the 
temptation  from  wealth,  power,  and  glory  had  any 
powerful  influence  on  his  affections. 

§5.  Our  next  inquiry  is.  When  did  Moses  refuse  to 
be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter?  Whereas  it  is 
the  internal  frame  and  act  of  his  mind  that  is  here  in- 
tended, it  is  not  to  be  confined  to  any  particular  out- 
ward action,  much  less  to  that  which  fell  not  out  un- 
til he  was  full  forty  years  old.  Acts  viii,  23;  and  be- 
fore which  it  is  said,  that  he  owned  the  Israelites  for 
his  brethren;  "He  went  out  to  iiis  brethren  and  look- 
ed on  their  burdens,"  Exod.  ii,  11;  which  he  could  not 
do  without  a  resolution  to  relinquish  his  relation  to 
Pharaoh's  daughter. 

Wherefore  his  refusal  consisted  in  the  sedate  reso- 
lution of  his  mind,  not  to  abide  in  that  state,  wherein- 
to  he  was  brought  by  his  adoption,  by  faith,  prayer, 
and  trust  in  God;  for  this  refusal  was  undoubtedly 
an  act  and  fruit  of  faith,  the  power  of  which  is  here 
given  as  an  instance;  no  doubt,  but  as  he  had  occasion 
he  conversed  with  his  brethren,  not  only  owning  him- 
self to  be  of  their  stock  and  race,  but  also  of  their 
faith  and  religion,  and  to  belong  to  the  same  cove- 
nant; where  there  was  no  longer  a  consistency  be- 
tween his  faith  and  profession  to  be  continued  with 
his  station  in  the  court,  he  openlyand  fully  fell  off  from 
all  respect  to  his  adoption,  and  joined  himself  to  the 
other  people,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  following  verse. 

§(5.  "Choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the 
people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for 
a  season."  There  are  two  things  to  be  considered  in 
these  words:  first,  that  there  were  at  this  time  two 


Ver.  24—26.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  231 

things  proposed  to  Moses; — the  people  of  God  in 
their  cafflicted  state,  and — the  enjoyments  of  the  pleas- 
ure of  sin  for  a  season,  secondly,  the  determination  he 
made,  as  to  his  own  interest  and  concernment. 

"He  chose  rather,"  &c.   (tw  a«w   ts   Gfs)    tmth  the 
people  of  God;  that  is,  the  Hebrews,  who  were  called 
so  in  contradistinction  to  all  other  people  and  nations 
whatever,  by  virtue  of  that  special   covenant  which 
God  made  with  Abraham  and  his  seed  throughout  all 
generations;  the  token  whereof  they  bare  in  their  flesh. 
Th  is  people  of  God  is  proposed  to  Moses  as  under 
affliction,  so  ih?A.  if  he  will  join  himself  to   them,  it 
must  be  with  a  participation  of  the  outward  evils  they 
were  subject  to;  the  word  {cuyv.civ.axzKJ^ui)  is  used  on- 
ly in  this  place;  and  signifies  to  be  vexed  and  pressed 
with  things  evil  and  grievous.     What  were  the  afflic- 
tions and  sufferings  of  the  people  of  God  at  that  time 
is  well  known, but  it  does  not  appear  that  it  was  requir- 
ed of  liim  to  work  in  the  kilns  and  furnaces  with  his 
brethren;  only  considering  their  woful  condition,  he 
cast  his  lot  among  them  to  take  that  portion    which 
fell  to  his  share,  according  to  the  guidance  of  divine 
Providence. 

§7.  That  which  is  proposed  in  opposition  hereto  was, 
(TpoffK«/pov  Exsiv  uixccpriag  airoXuvs-iv)  to  enjoy  the  pleas- 
ures of  sin  for  a  season;  to  have  the  temporary 
(uTroKcivaig)  fruition  or  enjoyment  of  sin;  and  the  word 
is  usually  applied  to  signify  such  a  fruition  as  hath 
gust  and  relish;  this  enjoyment  of  sin  is  said  to  be 
[TpO(7mipog)  temporary,  for  a  season;  subject  to  a  thous- 
and interruptions  in  this  life,  and  unavoidably  ending 
with  it;  thus  were  things  truly  represented  to  the 
thoughts  of  Moses;  he  did  not  hide  his  eyes  from  the 
worst  on  the  one  hand;  nor  did  he  suffer  himself  to 
be  imposed  upon  by  flattering  appearances  on   the 


232  feXPOSI*riON  OF  THE  C^ap.  II, 

other;  he  omitted  no  circumstances  that  might  influ- 
ence a  right  judgment  in  his  choice;  he  considered  the 
worst  of  the  people  of  God,  which  is  their  affliction, 
and  the  best  of  the  world,  which  is  but  the  evanid 
pleasure  of  sin;  and  prefers  the  Worst  of  the  one  above 
the  best  of  the  other. 

§8.  (MctKXov  fXo|X£vo$)  choosing  rather;  they  were 
proposed  to  his  elective  faculty;  he  could  not  enjoy 
the  good  things  of  them  both,  but  adhering  to  the 
one,  he  must  renounce  the  other;  if  he  cleave  to  the 
treasures  of  Egypt,  he  must  renounce  the  people  of 
God,  and  if  he  joined  himself  to  the  people  of  God, 
he  must  renounce  all  his  interest  in  Egypt;  this  he 
saw  necessary  from  that  profession  which  God  re- 
quired of  him,and  fromthe  nature  of  the  promise  which 
that  profession  respected. 

§9,  "Esteeming  (tov  ovf<J/o-/xov  ts  X^ktIh)  the  reproach 
of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt;'' 
this  must  be  the  same  with  what  he  calls  "being  afflic- 
ted with  the  people  of  God,"  in  the  verse  foregoing, 
only  with  an  addition  of  a  consideration  under  which 
it  is  peculiarly  eligible. 

('O  Y.^ioIoq)  Christ,  is  never  used  for  any  type  of 
Christ.  The  immediate  reason  of  the  persecution  of 
the  Israelites  was,  because  they  would  not  coalesce  in- 
to one  people  with  the  Egyptians,  but  still  would  re- 
tain and  abide  by  their  distinct  interest  and  hopes; 
now  their  perseverance  herein  was  grounded  on  their 
faith  in  the  promise  to  Abraham  concerning  Christ; 
from  the  first  promise  concerning  the  exhibition  of  the 
Son  of  God  in  the  flesh,  Christ  was  the  life  and  the  soul 
of  the  cliurch  in  all  ages;  for  from  him  all  was  deriv- 
ed, and  in  him  ail  centred;  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yes- 
terday, today,  and  for  ever;  a  Lamb  slain  from  tlie 
foundation  of  the  world.  All  the  persecutions  of  the 
church  arose  from  the  enmity  between  the  two  seeds 


Veu.  24—26.   EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  233 

which  entered  upon  the  first  promise  of  Christ;  and  the 
adherence  of  believers  to  that  promise  is  the  grand 
cause  of  that  separation  from  the  world,  which  is  the 
immediate  cause  of  all  their  perseverance;  wherefore, 
the  reproach  of  Christ  m  the  first  place,  signifies  the 
reproach  which,  upon  the  account  of  Christ,  or  their 
faith  in  him,  they  underwent;  for  all  outward  observe 
ances  in  the  church  in  all  ages  are  but  the  profession 
of  that  faith;  Christ  and  the  church  were  considered 
from  the  beginning  as  one  mystical  body;  so  that  what 
the  one  underwent,  the  other  is  esteemed  to  undergo 
the  same.  Hence  it  is  said,  that  in  all  their  afflictions, 
he  was  afflicted,  Isa.  Ixiii,  9,  and  our  apostle  calls  his 
own  sufferings,  that  which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions 
of  Christ,  Col.  i,  24;  viz.  what  belonged  to  the  full 
allotment  of  sufferings  to  that  mystical  body  whereof 
Christ  is  the  head;  and  in  this  sense  also  the  afflictions 
of  the  church  are  those  of  Christ,  Gal.  vi,  17.  All  the 
sufferings  of  the  people  of  God  for  the  sake  of  Christ 
are  called  his  reproach;  the  foundation  of  them  all 
is  laid  in  reproach;  the  vyoiid  can  neither  justify  nor 
countenance  itselfjn  its  pejsecutibns  of  Uie  church, 
unless  theyjirst  cover  it  all  over  with  reproaches;  so_ 
they  dealt  with  oifr  Lord  himself] 

§10.  (Twv  fv  A/yuTlf  fivjfl-rzup&jv)  "//le  treasures  of 
Egypt ;^^  treasures  properly  are  i^iches  in  gold,  silver, 
precious  stones,  and  other  valuables  that  are  laid  up; 
but  when  the  treasures  of  a  nation  are  mentioned, 
they  include  all  the  profits  and  advantages  of  it 
whence  those  treasures  are  gathered;  in  both  respects 
Egypt,  when  in  its  flourishing  state,  was  behind  no 
Jiingdom  in  the  world;  he  considered  what  they  were, 
what  they  would  amount  to,  what  might  be  done 
with  them,  or  attained  by  them,  and  prefers  the  "re- 
proach of  Christ"  above  them  all;  "he  esteemed  the 


234  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  II. 

reproach  of  Christ  to  be  (ixeilovu  %Xh1ov)  greater  rich- 
es;" riches,  opulency,  wealth,  contain  all  that  men 
have  and  value  in  this  world;  all  that  they  desire  and 
place  their  happiness  in;  at  least  so  far  as  that  they 
judge  they  cannot  be  happy  without  them;  that  which 
is  the  principal  means  of  all  the  ends  of  life;  and  an 
abundance  of  it. 

§11.  '-For  he  had  respect  unto  the  recompence  of 
reward;"  (ccTeliXsre,  intuiius  est)  he  looked  on;  he  saw 
by  the  eyes  of  faith,  as  represented  in  the  promise;  he 
took  into  consideration,  (tvjv  ^Lia^o^ohaiuv)  ^^ihe  recom- 
pence of  rc'ward;''^  (prc^mii  retrihidionem,  lar git  ion- 
em,  mercedis,  redditionem)  the  gratuitous  reward  that 
God  hath  annexed  to  faith  and  obedience,  not  merited 
or  desired  by  them,  but  infallibly  annexed  to  them, 
in  a  way  of  sovereign  bounty.     The  apostle  gives  us 
here  a  pregnant  instance   of  that  description  of  faith 
which  he  gave  us  in  the  first  verse  of  the  chapter; — 
that  it  was  the  "substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,"  for  both  these  were 
seen  conspicuously  in  this  faith  of  Moses;  it  gave  him 
anevidence^oftha  invisible  things  of  the  eternal  re- 
ward; and  caused  them  so  to  subsist  in  their  power 
and  foretaste  in  his  mind,  as  that  he  preferred  them 
above  all  things.     That  this  recompence  of  reward 
principally  respects  the  eternal  reward  of  persecuted 
believers  in  heaven,  is  out  of  question;  but — whereas 
God  in  his  gracious  covenant  is  a  present  reward  to 
them,  Gen.  xv,  1;  and  in  the  present  keeping  of  his 
commandments  there  is  a  great  reward,  Psal.  xix,  11, 
as  also  that  the  spiritual  wisdom,  grace,  mercy,  and 
consolation  believers  receive  in  this  world,  are  riches, 
treasures,  and  durable  substances — I  doubt  not  that 
the  blessed  peace,  rest,  and  satisfaction   which  they 
have  in  a  comfortable  persuasion  of  theiv  covenant 
interest  in  God,  are  also  included. 


Ver.  24—26.    EHSTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  235 

But  even  these  also  have  their  power  and  efficacy 
from  their  inseparable  relation  to  the  eternal  reward; 
this  reward  compriseth  three  things, — he  believed  it 
upon  divine  revelation  and  promise, — he  valued  it  ac- 
cording to  its  worth; — he  brought  it  to  the  account, 
in  the  judgment  which  he  was  to  make  concerning 
the  reproach  of  Christ  and  the  treasures  of  Egypt;  and 
this  was  the  victory  whereby  he  overcame  the  worldj 
even  his  faith. 

§12.  (II.)  Here  we  oftser-ye  the  ensuing  particulars; 

1 .  Whatever  be  the  privileges  of  any,  whatever  be 
their  work  or  office,  it  is  by  faith  alone  that  they 
must  live  to  God,  and  obtain  acceptance  with  him. 
The  lawgiver  Moses  himself  was  justified  by  faith. 

2.  It  is  good  to  fill  up  every  age  and  season  with 
the  duties  which  are  proper  to  it;  and  it  is  the  duty  of 
all  young  persons,  that,  according  as  they  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  what  is  required  of  them,  they  apply 
themselves  vigorously  and  diligently  to  the  same. 
"Moses,  when  he  was  come  to  years,"  &c. 

3.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  have  the  principlies  of 
true  religion  fixed  in  the  minds  of  children,  and  their 
affections  engaged  to  them,  before  they  are  exposed 
to  temptations  from  learning,  wisdom,  wealth  or  pre- 
ferment; and  the  negligence  of  most  parents  herein, 
who  have  none  of  those  difficulties  in  the  discharge 
of  their  duty,  which  the  parents  of  Moses  had,  is  a 
treachery  which  they^  must  be  accountable  for. 

4.  The  token  of  God's  covenant  received  in  infan- 
cy being  duly  considered,  is  the  most  effectual  means 
to  preserve  persons  in  the  profession  of  true  religion 
against  apostasy  by  outward  temptations. 

5.  The  work  of  faith  in  all  ages  of  the  church,  as 
to  its  nature,  efficacy,  and  method  of  acting,  is  uni- 
formly the  same;  the  first  act  of  faith  purely  evangeli- 

roL.  IV.  30 


236  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IT. 

cal  is  self  denial,  Matt,  xvi,  24;  Luke  ix,  23;  and 
what  greater  instance  of  it,  Jesus  Christ  only  except- 
ed, can  be  given  since  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
than  what  is  here  recorded  of  Moses? 

§13.  1.  Let  no  man  be  offended  at  the  low,  mean, 
persecuted  condition  of  the  church  at  any  time;  the 
sovereign  wisdom  of  God,  in  disposing  the  outward 
state  and  condition  of  his  people  in  this  world,  is  to 
be  submitted  to. 

2.  The  church  in  all  its  distresses  is  ten  thousand 
times  more  honorable  than  any  other  society  of  men 
in  the  world;  they  are  the  people  of  God. 

3.  In  a  time  of  great  temptations,  especially  from 
furious  persecutors,  a  sedate  consideration  of  the  true 
nature  of  the  things  wherein  we  are  concerned,  and 
their  circumstances  on  every  hand,  is  necessary  to 
enable  us  for  a  right  choice  of  our  lot,  and  a  due  per- 
formance of  our  duty. 

4.  No  profession  will  endure  the  trial  in  a  time  of 
persecution,  but  such  as  proceeds  from  a  determinate 
choice  of  adhering  to  Christ  and  the  gospel,  with  a 
rejection  of  whatever  stands  in  competition  with  them, 
on  a  due  consideration  of  the  respective  natures  and 
ends  of  the  things  proposed  to  us  on  both  hands. 
Moses  chose  to  be  afflicted  with  the  people  of  God; 
and  so  must  every  one  do,  who  will  be  of  that  num- 
ber to  his  advantage;  many  would  have  him,  but  not 
with  his  cross;  and  his  gospel,  but  not  with  its  burden. 
And  of  the  same  Samaritan  sect  there  are  multitudes 
in  every  age;  hut  those  who  will  not  have  their  afflic- 
tions, shall  never  have  their  privileges;  and  so  it  is  all 
one  whetlier  they  profess  themselves  to  belong  to  tliem. 
or  no. 

§14.  And  we  may  further  observe, 

1.  That  reproach  hath  in  all  ages  from  the  begin- 


Ver.  24—26.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  237 

ning  of  the  world,  attended  Christ  and  all  the  sincere 
professors  of  faith  in  him,  which  in  God's  esteem  is 
upon  his  account. 

2.  Let  the  things  of  this  world  be  increased  and 
multiplied  into  the  greatest  measure  and  degree  imag- 
inable, it  alters  not  their  kind;  they  are  temporary, 
fading  and  perishing  still;  such  as  will  stand  men  in 
no  stead  on  their  greatest  occasions. 

3.  That  there  is  an  all  satisfactory  fulness  in  spir- 
itual things,  even  when  the  enjoyment  of  them  is  un- 
der reproach  and  persecution. 

4.  Signal  exemplifications  of  the  nature  and  efficacy 
of  faith  in  others,  specially  when  victorious  against 
mighty  oppositions,  as  in  Moses,  are  high  encourage- 
ments to  us,  for  the  like  exercise  of  it  in  the  like  cir- 
cumstances. 

§13.  We  may  further  learn; 

1.  That  it  is  our  duty  in  the  whole  course  of  our 
faith  and  obedience,  to  have  respect  unto  the  future 
recompence  of  reward;  but  especially  in  times  of  great 
persecution  wherein  we  are  sharers.  A  respect — not 
to  what  we  shall  deserve  by  what  we  suffer,  nor  to 
whsitprincipaUij  iniiuenceth  us  to  obedience  or  suffer- 
ing, nor  as  if  there  were  between  the  reward  and  what 
we  do  any  proportion,  like  that  between  work  and 
wages;  but — what  Divine  bounty  hath  proposed  to 
us  for  our  encouragement,  which  becomes  the  Divine 
goodness  and  righteousness  freely  to  grant  to  the  be- 
lieving and  obedient. 

2.  It  is  faith  only  that  can  carry  us  through  the  dif- 
ficulties, trials,  and  persecutions  which  we  may  be  cal- 
led to  for  the  sake  and  name  of  Christ;  Moses  himself 
with  all  his  wisdom,  learning,  courage,  and  resolution, 
had  never  been  able  to  have  gone  through  with  his  trialsi 


23S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

and  difficulties,  had  not /ai^/i  had  the  rule  and  govern- 
ment of  his  heart. 

3.  Faith  in  exercise  will  carry  us  safely  through  all 
trials  which  we  have  to  undergo  for  Christ  and  the  gos- 
pel; consider  all  circumstances,  and  it  is  almost  impossi- 
ble that  our  temptations  and  trials  should  be  greater 
than  those  of  Moses;  yet  faith  carried  him  through 
them  all. 

4.  Faith  is  highly  rational  in  all  its  acts  of  obe- 
Jdience  towards  God;  it  reckoneth,  computeth,  judg- 
|eth,  chooseth  and  determineth  in  the  most  exalted  acts 
'of  reason;  all  these  things  were  here  ascribed  to  Mos- 
es in  the  exercise  of  his  faith;  and  if  we  cannot  prove — 
that  the  tcisdom  of  faith  and  the  reason  wherein  it 
always  acts,  are  the  most  eminent  that  our  nature  is  ca- 
pable of  in  this  world,  and  that  whatever  is  contrary 
to  them,  or  inconsistent  with  them,  is  arrant  folly,  and 
contrary  to  i\\Q 'primogenial  light  of  our  natures,  and 
all  the  principles  of  reason  truly  so  called;  we  shall 
freely  give  up  the  cause  of  faith  to  the  vainest  preten- 
ces of  reason  that  foolish  men  can  make. 

VERSE  27. 

By^  faith  he  forsook  Egylit^  not  fearing   the   wrath   of  the  kingi 

for  he  endured  as  seeing  him  ivho  is  invisible  • 

§i.  The  failh  of  Moses  in  forsaking  Eg;ypt.     His  remarkable   courage.    §2.  His 
cor^staucy.    §3.  The  object  of  hisjfaith  and  courage.     §4.  Observatious. 

§1.  The  fact  which  the  apostle  here  intends  was  ac- 
companied with,  or  immediately  followed  by  Moses 
keeping  the  passover,  which  was  forty  years  and  some- 
what more  after  his  first  flight  out  of  Egypt-,  where- 
fore, although  the  leaving  of  Egypt  may  be  a  gener- 
al expression  of  his  whole  conducting  of  the  people 
thence  into  the  wilderness,  yet  the  apostle  hath  a  pe- 
culiar respect  to  what  is  recorded,  Exod.   x,  28,  29. 


Ver  27.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS^  239 

''And  Pharaoh  said  unto  him,  get  thee  from  me,  take 
heed  to  thyself,  see  my  face  no  more;  for  in  the  day 
that  thou  seest  my  face  thou  shalt  die;  and  Moses  said, 
thou  has  spoken  well;  I  will  see  thy  face  again  no 
more;"  never  was  there  an  higher  expression  of  faith 
and  spiritual  courage;  whence  it  is  said,  Exod.  xi,  8; 
"that  he  threatened  Pharaoh,  that  all  his  servants 
should  come  and  bow  down  before  him;"  and  so 
went  out  from  him  in  great  anger,  or  the  height  of 
indignation  at  his  obstinate  rebellion  against  God;  he 
had  before  him  a  bloody  tyrant,  armed  with  all  the 
power  of  Egypt,  threatening  him  with  present  death, 
if  he  persisted  in  the  work  and  duty  which  God  had 
committed  to  him;  but  he  was  so  far  from  being  ter- 
rified, or  declining  his  duty  in  the  least,  that  he  pro- 
fesseth  his  resolution  to  proceed,  and  denounceth  de- 
struction to  the  tyrant  himself.  Faith  will  not  move 
without  a  divine  word  for  its  warranty;  and  natural 
courage  would  not  carry  him  out  in  his  undertaking; 
but  now  being  assured  of  his  call  as  well  as  of  his 
work,  he  is  bold  as  a  lion  through  the  power  of  faith 
acting  regularly  on  a  word  of  promise  and  command. 
§2.  "He  endured  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible." 
{Kuplepeu),  forti  ammo  sum,  non  cedo  malis)  to  endure, 
is  a  word  singularly  suited  to  express  the  frame  of  mind 
that  was  in  Moses,  with  respect  to  his  work  of  faith 
in  leaving  Egypt;  for  he  met  with  a  long  course  of  va- 
rious difficulties,  and  was  often  threatened  by  the 
king;  besides  \^  hat  he  had  to  cope  with  from  the  un- 
belief of  the  people;  but  he  strengthened  and  confirm- 
ed his  heart  witii  spiritual  courage,  and  resolution  to 
abide  in  his  duty  to  the  end;  and  as  the  verb  [-/uplspstv] 
to  endurCy  is  used  sometimes  with  a  dative,  sometimes 
an  accusative  case,  sometimes  with  prepositions  (Trpoe, 
fTi,  fv)  and  sometimes  without;  so  it  is  also   ncufrally, 


240  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Cjsap.  IL 

without  affecting  any  other  persons  or  things;  where- 
fore this  enduring  by  faith  is  not  a  mere  bare  continu- 
ance in  duty;  but  it  is  an  abiding  in  it  with  courage 
and  resolution,  without  fear  and  despondency. 

§3.  That  which  preserved  Moses  in  this  frame,  was, 
that  he  saw  the  invisible  God;  (tov  xopcclov  ug  opm)  as 
seeing  him  who  is  invisible;  God  is  said  to  be  invisible 
in  respect  of  his  essence;  Rom.  i,  20;  Col.  i,  15;  1 
Tim.  i,  17;  but  there  is  a  peculiar  reason  of  tliis  de- 
scription of  him  here;  Moses  was  in  that  state  and 
condition,  and  had  those  things  to  do,  wherein  he  con- 
tinually stood  in  need  of  divine  power  and  assis- 
tance; whence  this  should  proceed  he  could  not  discern 
by  his  senses;  his  bodily  eye  could  behold  no  present 
assistant,  for  God  was  invisible;  and  it  requires  a  spec- 
ial act  of  the  mind  in  expecting  help  from  him  who 
cannot  be  seen;  wherefore  he  saw  him  by  faith  whom 
he  could  not  see  with  his  eyes;  '^As  seeing,''^  he  repre- 
sented him  a  present  help,  no  less  than  if  he  had  been 
seen.  A  double  act  of  Moses*  faith  is  intended  herein; — 
a  clear  distinct  view  and  apprehension  of  God  in  his 
omnipresence,  power,  and  faithfulness;  and — a  fixed 
trust  in  him  on  their  account,  at  all  times  and  on  all 
occasions.  This  he  rested  on,  this  he  trusted  to,  that 
God  was  every  where  present  with  him,  able  to  protect 
him,  and  faithful  to  his  promise;  which  is  the  sum  of 
the  revelation  he  made  of  himself  to  Abraham,  Gen. 
XV,  1 ;  and  xvii,  1 ;  hereof  he  had  as  certain  a  persuasion, 
as  if  he  had  seen  God  working  with  him  and  for  him 
with  his  bodily  eyes.  This  sight  of  God  he  continu- 
ally retreated  to,  in  all  his  hazards  and  difficulties,  and 
thereon  endured  courageously  to  the  end. 

§4.  Hence  we  may  observe; 

1.  In  all  duties,  especially  such  as  are  attended  with 
great  difficulties   and  dangers^  it  is  the  wisdom   of 


Ver.  28.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,  241 

believers  to  take  care  not  only  that  the  works  be  good 
in  themselves,  but  also  that  they  have  a  just  and 
due  call  to  their  performance. 

2.  Even  the  wrath  of  the  greatest  kings  is  to  be  dis- 
regarded, if  it  lie  against  our  duty  towards  God,  Dan. 
iii,  13—18. 

3.  There  is  an  heroic  frame  of  mind  and  spiritual 
fortitude  required  to  the  due  discharge  of  our  callings 
in  times  of  danger,  and  which  faith  in  exercise  will  pro- 
duce, 1  Cor.  xvi,  13. 

4.  There  is  nothing  insuperable  to  faith,  whilst  it 
can  keep  a  clear  view  of  the  power  of  God  and  his 
faithfulness  in  his  promises.  And  unless  we  are  con- 
stant in  this  exercise,  we  shall  faint  and  fail  in  great 
trials  and  difficult  duties.  From  hence  we  may  fetch 
revivings  and  renewals  of  strength  and  comfort  on 
all  occasions,  as  the  scripture  every  where  testifieth, 
Psalm  Ixxiii,  25,  26;  Isa.  xl,  28,  30. 

VERSE  28. 

By  faith  he  kefit  the  fiassover,  and  the  sprinkling'  of  bloody    lest 

he  that  destroyed  thejirst  born  should  touch  them. 

$1,  Moses  keeps  the  passover  by  faith;  and   <J2.  The  sprinkling    of  blood.    §3. 
The  end  of  the  institution.    J4.  Of  what  a  sign.    '^5.  Observations. 

§1.  X  HE  first  thing  ascribed  to  him  as  the  fruit  of 
faith  is,  that  he  "kept  the  passover."  The  word 
(xfTo/v)/?)  is  of  a  large  signification;  he  wrought,  he 
peiformed  the  whole  sacred  duty;  that  is,  of  killing  the 
passover,  and  sprinkling  the  blood.  ''The  passover.^* 
The  word  is  of  an  Hebrew  original,  only  used  by  the 
Greeks  after  the  Chaldee  dialect,  wherein  it  is  usual  to 
add  [H)  aleph  to  the  end  of  words.  So  from  the  He- 
brew (nas)  to  pass  over  by  a  kind  of  leaping;,  came 
the  Chaldee  («nDs)  and  the  Greek  [zK^y^u.)   The  word 


242  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1 1, 

was  chosen  to  intimate  the  ;wa7i72er  of  the  distinction 
God  made  by  the  destroying  angel  between  the  houses 
of  the  Egyptians  and  the  Israelites,  when  he  passed  over 
the  one  untouched,  and  entered  into  another,  (it  may 
be  sometimes  the  next  to  it)  with  death.  The  apostle 
expressly  calls  Christ,  "-our  passover,  sacrificed  for  us," 
1  Cor.  V,  7.  He  and  his  sacrifice  was  that  really  and 
substantially,  whereof  the  paschal  lamb  was  a  typical 
sign  and  shadow. 

§2.  Ti.e  second  thing  ascribed  to  the  faith  of  Moses^ 
is,  {rviv  Trpoo-^ua-iv)  the  sprinkling  of  blood.  This, 
whether  it  were  a  peculiar  temporary  ordinance,  or  an 
observance  annexed  to  the  first  celebration  of  the  pass- 
over,  is  all  to  the  same  pmpose.  llie  blood  of  the 
lamb  was  preserved  in  a  bason,  from  whence  they 
were  to  take  it  by  dipping  a  bunch  of  hyssop  into  it, 
verse  22;  and  strike  it  on  the  two  side  posts,  and  the 
upper  door  posts  of  their  houses.  And  this  was  to  be 
a  token  unto  them  that  God  would  pass  over  the 
houses  that  were  so  sprinkled  and  marked  with  blood, 
that  none  should  be  destroyed  in  them,  verse  13;  and 
this  in  its  mystical  signification  was  to  abide  for  ever. 

§3.  The  end  of  this  institution  was,  "that  he  who 
destroyed  the  first  born  might  not  touch  them.'^  (OAo- 
6pfuwv,  or  oAoSpfulv^?,  1  Cor.  x,  10;)  that  is,  an  angel 
whom  God  employed  in  that  work  as  the  executioner 
of  his  judgments,  as  he  did  afterwards  in  the  destruction 
of  Sennacherib's  army;  and  before  in  that  of  Sodom. 
There  is  no  work  more  holy,  nor  more  becoming  the 
holy  ministering  spirits  than  to  execute  the  judgments 
of  God  on  impenitent  sinners.  I  grant,  that  in  the  in- 
fliction of  the  plagues  of  the  Egyptians  in  general,  es- 
pecially in  the  work  of  hardening  their  hearts,  and 
seducing  them  to  their  deserved  destruction,  God  made 
use  of  evil  angels;  "He  sent  evil  angels  among  them,'* 


Vjiu.  28.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  24^ 

Psalm  Ixxviii,  49.  Bat  this  work  of  slaying  their  first 
born  is  so  peculiarly  and  frequently  ascribed  to  God 
himself,  that  1  rather  judge  he  employed  a  good  angel 
therein.  "He  destroyed  the ^V^f  bornf  {ra  %pMlQloiiei) 
the  first  things  that  \vere  born;  in  the  neuter  gender, 
(i.  e.  yvivvKxulci.)  For  the  destruction  was  intended  to 
the  first  born  of  beasts  as  wellas  of  men,  Exod.  xii,  29; 
and  this  was  done  at  the  same  time  throughout  all  the 
land  of  Egypt,  that  is,  about  midnight,  Exod.  xi,  4;  and 
xii,  29,  30. 

§4.  "Lest  he  that  destroyeth  the  first  born  should 
touch  them;"  namely,  that  it  might  be  a  sign  and 
token  to  the  Israelites,  that  they  should  be  preserved 
from  that  woful  destruction  which  they  knew  would, 
that  night,  befall  the  Egyptians;  Exod.  xii,  13,  "The 
blood  shall  be  to  you  for  a  token  upon  the  houses 
where  you  are."  And  what  is  added,  that  when  he 
did  see  the  blood,  he  would  pass  over  them,  and  the 
plague  should  not  come  ni«-h  them,  was  only  to  oblige 
them  with  all  diligence  and  reverence  to  observe  his 
s^red  institution.  For  their  deliverance  was  suspend- 
ed on  that  condition,  and  had  any  of  them  failed  here- 
in, they  should  have  perished  with  the  Egyptians, 
(Mvi  ^lyvi  auluv)  shall  not  touch  them;  that  is,  the  Israel- 
ites or  their  cattle.  Not  touch  them;  to  declare  the 
absolute  security  which  they  were  to  enjoy  whilst  the 
E«"yptians  were  smitten.  The  destroyer  made  no  ap- 
proach to  their  houses,  they  had  no  fear  of  him.  So 
<-not  to  touch,"  is  used  for  doing  no  harm;  or  being 
remote  from  it;  Psalm  cv,  15,  "Touch  not  mine 
anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm."  1  John  v, 
18,  "The  wicked  one  toucheth  him  not." 

§5.  llencG  observe: 

1.  There  is  always  an  especial  exercise  of  fajtli  re- 

VQL.  IV.  31 


g44  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1 1. 

quired  to  the  due  observance  of  a  sacramental  ordi- 
nance. 

2.  Whatever  is  not  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of 
Christ  the  lamb  of  God,  who  was  slain  and  sacrificed 
for  us,  is  exposed  to  destruction  from  the  anger  and 
displeasure  of  God: 

3.  And  this  alone  is  that  which  gives  us  security 
from  him  that  hath  the  power  of  death.  See  Expos, 
on  chap,  ii,  14,  15. 

4.  G  )d  hath  always  instruments  in  readiness  to  ex- 
ecute the  severest  of  his  judgments  on  sinners  in  their 
gi^eatest  security.  They  were  all  in  their  midnight 
sleep  in  Egypt,  when  this  messenger  of  death  came 
amongst  them. 

5.  Such  is  the  great  power  and  activity  of  these  fiery 
ministering  spirits,  as  that  in  the  shortest  space  of  time 
imaginable  they  can  execute  the  judgments  of  God  on 
whole  nations,  as  well  and  as  easily  as  on  private  per- 
sons, 2  Kings  xix,  35. 

6.  That  which  God  would  for  ever  instruct  the 
church  in  by  this  ordinance,  is,  that  unless  we  are 
sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  our  paschal  Lamb, 
1^0  other  privilege  can  secure  us  from  eternal  destruc- 
tion. Though  a  man  had  been  really  an  Israelite, 
and  had  with  others  made  himself  ready  that  night 
for  a  departure,  which  was  an  high  profession  of  faith, 
yet  if  the  Unfel  and  posts  of  his  door  had  not  been 
gprinkled  with  blood,  he  would  have  been  destroyed. 

VERSE  29. 

Sy  faith  they  passed  through  the  Red  Sea,  as  by  dry  land,[w/iic/t 
the  Egyfitians  essaying  to  do  were  drowned. 

St.  (I )  The  words  explained.  The  Israelites  by  faith  passing  the  Red  Sea. 
$2.  Why  so  called,  §3.  The  passage  itself.  $4.  The  fate  of  the  Egyptians. 
§5 — 6.  (II.)  Observations. 

|1.  (I.)  (MEBH'SAN)  tlietj  passed;  that  is,   the  whole 
congregation  of  the  Israelites  under  the  conduct   of 


Vkr.  29.        ■EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  245 

Moses,  Exod.  xiv;  and  the  whole  is  denominated  froni 
the  better  part,  for  many  of  them  were  not  believers 
to  the  sanctification  of  their  persons.  For  with  many 
of  them,  as  the  apostle  speaks,  God  was  not  well  pleas- 
ed, though  they  were  "all  baptised  unto  Moses  in  the 
cloud  and  in  the  sea,"  1  Cor.  x,  2 — 5.  But  in  a 
pj'ofessing  society,  God  is  pleased  to  ascribe  the  faith 
and  obedience  of  some  to  the  whole;  as  on  the  oihct 
hand,  judgments  oftentimes  fall  on  the  whole  for  the 
provocations  of  some,  as  it  frequently  happened  to  the 
people  in  the  wilderness.  It  is  therefore  the  duty  of 
every  man  in  the  church  to  endeavor,  on  the  one 
hand,  the  good  of  the  whole  in  his  own  personal  faith 
and  obedience;  as  also  on  the  other,  to  keep  them  as 
far  as  lies  in  him  from  sin,  that  he  fall  not  with  then! 
under  the  displeasure  of  God. 

§2.  It  was  (tv^v  epu6p.'jv  hdhaatxav)  the  Reel  Sea  they 
passed  through;  that  part  of  the  Et  hi  epic  ocean  which 
lieth  between  Egypt  and  Arabia.  In  the  Hebrew  it 
is  constantly  called  (r|lDu3*»)  the  sea  of  sedges,  reeds  or 
canes,  from  the  multitude  of  them  grovving  on  its 
shore,  as  to  this  day.  The  Greeks  call  it  (spuQpa/o;  or 
£pi;Qpfi{)  red;  not  from  the  red  color  of  the  waters,  ap- 
pearing so  from  the  sand  or  the  sun,  as  some  have 
fancied;  but  from  Erytharaus;  that  is,  ^^sau  or  Edom, 
who  fixed  his  habitation  and  rule  towards  this  sea. 
And  whereas  that  name  (Edom)  signifies  red,  they 
gave  him  a  name  of  the  same  signification  in  their  lan- 
guage. Thence  came  the  sea  among  them  to  be  cal- 
led the  ''Bed  Sea,^'  which  the  Hebrews  call  Jam  Syph. 

§3.  It  is  said,  that  they  passed  through  (w,-  lia  ie^a;;) 
as  on  dry  laml,  Exod.  xiv,  21,  22 — 29.  I'iie  ground 
was  made  fit  tor  them  to  travel  on,  and  they  passed  the 
waters  without  any  impediment.  The  division  of  the 
waters  was  very  great,  leaving  a  space  for  so  great  a, 


2*46  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11 

multitude  to  pass  in  an  orderly  manner  between  the 
divided  parts;  perhaps  to  the  distance  of  some  miles. 
And  their  passage  is  judged  to  have  been  six  leagues 
from  shore  to  shore,  and  by  some  much  larger.  The 
Israelites  had  light  to  discern  this  miraculous  appear- 
ance, which,  no  doubt,  was  very  dreadful.  The  wa- 
ters must  of  necessity  be  raised  to  a  very  great  height 
on  each  side:  and  although  they  were,  by  the  power 
of  God,  a  wall  to  them  on  the  right  and  left;  yet  was 
it  an  high  act  of  faith  in  them,  to  put  themselves  be- 
tween such  walls,  as  were  ready  in  their  own  nature 
to  fall  on  them  to  their  destruction  every  moment, 
abiding  only  under  an  almighty  restraint.  But  they 
had  the  command  and  promise  of  God  for  their  war- 
ranty and  security,  which  will  enable  faith  to  overcome 
all  fears  and  dangers.  I  doubt  not  but  that  Moses 
himself  first  entered  at  the  head  of  them.  Hence  it  is 
said,  that  God  led  them  throu  gh  the  sea  "at  the  right 
hand  of  Moses,"  !sa.  Ixiii,  11 — 13;  he  entering  before 
them  into  the  channel  of  the  deep,  to  guide  and  en- 
courage them. 

§4.  It  remains  that  we  consider  the  other  people, 
f  he  Egyptians;  so  they  are  called  here  in  general;  but 
in  the  account  given  us  by  Moses,  it  appears  that  Pha- 
raoh himself,  the  king,  was  present  in  person,  with  all 
the  nobility  and  power  of  this  kingdom.  It  was  he, 
in  an  especial  manner,  whom  God  had  undertaken  to 
deal  with,  Exod.  ix,  16;  Rom.  ix,  17;  Exod.  xv,  3 — 
9.  This  Pharaoh,  with  his  Egyptians,  that  is,  his 
whole  army,  horses  and  chariots,  also  attempted; 
{TTEipav  Xo(iovls;)  assaying  to  do;  which  was  the  great- 
est height  that  ever  obdurate  infidels  could  arise  to  in 
this  world.  They  had  seen  all  the  mighty  works 
which  God  had  wrought  in  behalf  of  his  people 
among  them;  they  and  their  couctrj^  were  almost  con- 


Ver.  ^9.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  247 

sumed  with  the  plagues  and  judgments  that  were  ii> 
ilicted  on  them  on  their  account.  And  yet,  now  be- 
holding this  wonderful  work  of  God,  in  opening  the 
sea  to  receive  them  from  their  pursuit,  they  would 
make  a  venture  (as  the  word  signifies)  to  follow  them 
into  it.  Vain  and  desperate  attempt,  and  an  high  evi- 
dence of  infatuation!  Here  we  have  one  of  the  most 
signal  examples  of  the  power  of  unbelief,  confirmed 
by  judiciary  hardness  of  heart,  that  is  upon  record  in 
the  whole  book  of  God;  nor  is  there  any  monument  of 
equal  folly  and  blindness  among  the  annals  of  time. 
The  event  was,  that  they  {nule^o^vitruv)  u-ere  drowned, 
swallowed  up.  The  account  hereof  is  given  us  so  glo- 
riously in  the  triumphant  song  of  Moses,  Exod.  xv; 
that  nothing  needs  to  be  added  for  its  farther  illustra- 
tion. And  this  destruction  of  the  Egyptians,  with  the 
deliverance  of  Israel,  was  a  type  and  pledge  of  the 
victory  and  triumph  which  the  church  shall  have  over 
its  anti-christian  adversaries,  ^v.  xv,  2 — 5. 
§5.  (II.)  Observe  hence, 

1 .  Where  God  engaged  his  word  and  promise,  there 
is  nothing  so  difficult,  nothing  so  remote  from  the  ra- 
tional apprehensions  of  men,  but  he  may  righteously 
require  our  faith  and  trust  in  him  therein. 

2.  Faith  will  find  a  way  through  a  sea  of  difficul- 
ties under  the  call  of  God. 

3.  There  is  no  trial,  no  difficulty,  that  the  church  can 
be  called  to,  but  there  are  examples  on  record  of  the 
power  of  faith  in  working  out  its  deliverance.  There 
can  be  no  greater  strait  than  the  Israelites  were  in  be- 
tween tlie  host  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  Red  Sea. 

§6.  1.  God  knows  how  to  secure  impenitent  sin- 
ners to  their  appointed  destruction,  by  giving  them  up 
to  hardness  of  heart,  and  an  obstinate  continuance  in 


24S  EXPOSITION  OF  THli  Chap.  lU 

their  sins  against  all  warnings  and  means  of  repen- 
tance, see  Rom.  i,  24 — 32. 

2.  God  doth  not  give  up  any  judicial  way  to  sin, 
but  it  is  a  punishment  for  preceding  sins,  and  as  a 
means  to  bring  on  them  total  ruin  and  destruction. 

3.  Let  us  not  wonder  that  we  see  men  in  the  world 
obstinate  in  foolish  counsels  and  undertakings,  tending 
to  their  own  inevitable  ruin,  seeing  probably  they  are 
under  judicial  hardness  from  God,  Isa.  vi,  9,  10;  and 
xxix,  10;  and  xix,  13,  14. 

4.  There  is  no  such  blinding,  hardening  lust  in  the 
minds  of  men  as  hatred  of  God's  people,  and  de- 
sire of  their  ruin.  Where  this  prevails,  as  it  did  in 
these  persecuting  Egyptians,  it  deprives  men  of  all 
wisdom  and  understanding,  that  they  shall  do  things 
against  all  rules  of  reason  and  polity,  (which  common- 
ly they  pretended  to)  act  brutishly  and  obstinately, 
though  appare  ntly  tenj^ing  to  their  own  ruin  and 
destruction.  These  I^yptians  designed  the  utter 
extirpation  of  the  people,  that  they  should  be  no 
more  in  the  world,  by  their  edict  for  the  destruction  of 
all  the  male  children,  which  in  one  age  would  haVe 
totally  exterminated  them  out  of  Egypt;  yet  now  they 
will  run  themselves  on  imminent  universal  destruction, 
to  bring  them  back  again  into  Egypt. 

5.  When  the  oppressors  of  the  church  are  nearest  to 
their  ruin,  they  commonly  rage  most,  and  are  most 
obstinate  in  their  bloody  persecutions. 

VERSE  30. 

By  faith  the  vjulls  of  Jericho  fall  doivn  after  they   ivere    conifiaa'^ 
n-ed  about  seven  days. 

$1,  Tliefailli  of  Israel  at  Jerielio.    §'2.  After  it  was  compasseil  about  seven  days. 
^3,  Ho\r  this  manifested  their  faith.     $4.  Observatious. 

§1.  In  tlijs  verse  the  apostle  adds  another  instance  of 
the  faith  of  the  whole  congregation  in  the  sense  before 


Ver.  50.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  249 

declared;  for  although  respect  be  had,  no  doubt,  to 
the  faith  of  Joshua  in  an  especial  manner,  3^et  that  of 
the  whole  people  is  expressed.  The  city  itself  was 
not  great,  as  is  evident,  because  the  whole  army  of  the 
Israelites  did  compass  it  seven  times  in  one  day;  but 
most  probably  it  was  fortified  and  encompassed  with 
walls  of  great  height  and  strength,  with  which  the  spies 
sent  by  Moses  out  of  the  wilderness  were  terrified, 
Numb,  xiii,  28;  and  it  is  uncertain  how  long  it  was' 
besieged  by  the  Israelites,  before  God  shewed  them 
the  way  to  demolish  the  walls;  for  the  town  was  be- 
leaguered by  Joshua  it  may  be  for  some  good  while 
before  he  had  the  command  to  compass  it,  Joshua  vi, 
1; — these  walls,  saith  the  apostle,  (sireas)  fell  down;  or 
as  in  Joshua  ver.  20,  Ileb.  '■'The  wall  fell  down  un- 
der it.^'  It  intimates  the  utter  casting  it  down  flat  on 
the  earth,  whereby  the  people  went  over  it  with  ease 
into  the  city;  yet  need  not  this  be  so  far  extended,  as 
that  no  part  of  it  was  left  standing;  for  that  part  of  it, 
for  instance,  whereon  the  house  of  Rahab  was  built, 
was  probably  left  standing;  but  the  fall  was  such  as 
took  away  all  defence  from  the  inhabitants,  and  facil' 
itated  the  entrance  of  the  Israelites  in  various  places 
at  once. 

§2.  This,  saith  the  apostle,  was  done  after  they 
were  "compassed  about  seven  days,"  Josh,  vi,  2,  3. 
The  first  command  of  God  was  to  have  it  done  six 
times  in  the  space  of  six  days,  ver.  3;  but  an  especial 
command  and  direction  was  given  for  that  of  the  sev' 
enth  day,  because  it  was  to  be  done  then  seven  times, 
ver,  4.  This  seventh  day  probably  was  the  sabbath; 
and  some  mystery  is,  no  doubt,  intimated  in  the  num- 
ber seven  in  this  place.  The  reader  may,  if  he  pleases,^ 
consult  our  discourse  of  the  original  and  institution  of 
the  sabbath,  wherein  these  things  are  spoken  to. 


jg^el  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1  J. 

§3.  And  some  things  there  are  wherein  the  Israel- 
ites did  manifest  their  faith  therein. 

1.  It  was  on  the  command  of  God,  and  his  promise 
of  success,  that  they  now  entered  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  began  their  work  and  war  with  the  siege  of  this 
strong  town,  not  having,  by  any  previous  fight,  weak- 
ened the  inhabitants.  Here  they  made  the  first  ex- 
periment of  the  presence  of  God  with  them  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  promise  made  to  Abraham. 

2.  They  shewed  their  faith  in  their  readiness  to 
comply  with  the  way  prescribed,  of  compassing  the 
town  so  many  days  with  the  noise  of  trumpets,  with- 
out the  least  attempt  to  possess  it;  for  without  a  res- 
pect by  faith  to  the  command  and  promise  of  God, 
this  act  was  so  far  from  farthering  them  in  their  de- 
sign, that  it  was  suited  to  expose  them  to  the  scorn 
and  contempt  of  their  adversaries;  this  way  was  pre- 
scribed to  them  of  God  to  give  them  a  distinct  appre- 
hension, that  the  work  of  the  conquest  of  Canaan 
was  his,  and  not  theirs. 

3.  The  same  faith  is  manifest  in  the  triumphant 
shout  they  gave,  before  the  walls  in  the  least  moved; 
they  used  the  sign  of  their  downfall  before  the  thing 
signified  was  accomplished;  and  triumphed  by  faith  in 
the  ruin  of  the  walls,  whilst  they  stood  in  their  full 
strength;  werefore  the  apostle  might  justly  commend 
their  faith,  which  was  acted  against  so  many  difficul- 
ties, in  the  use  of  unlikely  means. 

§4.  Hence  we  may  observe; 

1 .  Faith  will  make  use  of  means  divinely  prescribed, 
though  it  be  not  able  to  discern  the  effective  influence 
of  them  to  the  end  aimed  at,  see  2  Kings  v,  14. 

2.  Faith  will  cast  down  walls  and  strong  towers  that 
lie  in  the  way  of  the  work  of  God;  it  is  true,  we  have 
no  stone  walls  to  demolish,  nor  cities  to  destroy;  but 


Veb.  30.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  251 

the  same  faith  in  exercise  is  required  of  us  in  all  our 
concerns,  as  was  in  Joshua  when  he  entered  on  the 
conquest  of  Canaan,  as  the  apostle  declares,  chap,  xiii, 
5,  and  there  are  strong  holds  of  sin  in  our  minds, 
which  nothing  but  faith  can  cast  to  the  ground. 

VERSE  31. 

By  faith  Rahab  the  harlot  perished  not  nuith  them  that  believed 
not,  when  she  received  the  spies  with  peace. 

$1.  The  history  and  faith  of  Kahab,  contained  in  several  propositions.  She  waS 
a  Gentile,  an  An\orite,  an  harlot,,  yet  converted  to  God.  ^2.  Made  an  e.\cel* 
lent  confession  of  her  faith  §3.  Joined  God's  people  ^"4.  Shewed  hei- faith 
by  her  works.    J5,  The  fruit  of  her  faith.    ^6.  Observations. 

§1.  JL  HE  story  concerning  this  Rahab,  her  faith  and 
works,  is  at  large  recorded  in  Joshua,  chap,  ii,  vi. 
What  concerns  the  exposition  of  these  words,  and  the 
great  instance  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  efficacy  of 
faith  in  them,  may  hi  comprised  in  some  remarks. 

1.  Rahab  was  by  nature  a  Gentile,  an  alien  from 
the  stock  and  covenant  of  Abraham;  wherefore,  as 
her  conversion  to  God  was  an  act  of  free  grace  and 
mercy  in  a  peculiar  manner,  so  it  was  a  type  and 
pledge  of  calling  a  church  i'rom  among  the  Gentiles. 

2.  She  was  not  only  a  Gentile,  but  an  Amorite;  of 
that  race  which  in  general  was  devoted  to  utter  de- 
struction; she  was  therefore  an  instance  of  God's  sove- 
reignty  in  dispensing  with  his  positive  lav.s,  as  it  seems 
good  unto  him;  for  of  his  own  mere  pleasure  he  ex- 
empted her  from  the  doom  denounced  against  all 
those  of  her  origin. 

3.  She  was  (v|  xopwi)  an  harlot,  though  it  may  be 
not  one  that  commonly  and  promiscuously  exposed 
herself;  (n:fn  nobill  scortum;)  that  she  kept  a  public 
house  of  entertainment,  is  evident  from  the  spies  going 
thither;  which  they  did  as  to  such  a  house;  and  herein 

VOL.  IV.  o2 


252  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

have  we  a  blessed  instance  both  of  the  sovereignty  of 
God's  grace,  and  of  its  power.  No  person,  no  sin,  is 
to  be  despaired  of,  in  whose  cure  sovereign  almighty 
grace  is  engaged,  1  Cor.  vi,  9 — 11. 

4.  She  was  converted  to  God  before  the  coming  of 
the  spies  to  her,  by  what  she  had  heard  of  him;  his 
mighty  works,  and  his  peculiar  owning  of  the  people 
of  Israel;  for  God  had  ordained  and  designed  that  the 
report  of  these  things  should  be  an  effectual  ordinance, 
both  to  terrify  obstinate  believers,  also  to  call  others  to 
repentance,  and  conversion  from  their  idols;  to  which 
end,  no  doubt,  it  was  effectual  on  others  as  well  as 
on  Rahab;  as  it  was  on  the  Gibeonites  in  general. 
Hence  those  who  perish  are  said  to  be  unbelievers; 
she  perished  not  with  "them  tliat  believed  not,"  or  who 
were  disobedient;  for  they  had  a  sufficient  revelation 
of  God  and  his  will  necessary  to  their  faith  and  obe- 
dience; and  their  destruction  is  ascribed  to  the  harden- 
ing of  their  hearts^  so  that  they  should  not  make  peace 
with  Israel,  Josh,  xi,  19,  20. 

§2.  Rahab  upon  this  first  opportunity  made  an  ex- 
cellent confession  of  her  faith,  and  of  the  means  of  her 
conversion  to  God,  This  confession  is  recorded  at 
large.  Josh,  ii,  9 — 11.  She  avows  the  Lord  Jehovah 
to  be  the  only  God  in  heaven  above  and  in  the  earth 
beneath;  wherein  she  renounced  all  the  idols  Vvhich 
before  she  had  worshipped;  ver.  11,  and  she  avows 
her  faith  in  him  as  the  God  of  Israel,  who  had  taken 
them  to  be  his  people  by  promise  and  covenant,  which 
in  this  confession  she  lays  hold  on  by  faith;  "the  Lord 
your  God,  he  is  God,"  Rom.  x,  10. 

§3.  She  separated  herself  from  the  cause  and  inter- 
est of  her  own  people  among  whom  she  lived,  and 
joined  herself  to  the  cause  and  interest  of  the  people 
of  Godj  this  also  is  a  necessary  fruit  of  faith,  and  an 


Ver.  31.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  253 

inseparable  concomitant  of  profession;  this  God  called 
her  to,  this  she  complied  with,  and  this  was  that 
which  rendered  all  she  did  in  receiving,  concealing 
and  preserving  the  spies,  though  they  came  to  destroy 
her  country  and  people,  just  and  warrantable. 

§4.  She  shewed  her  faith  by  her  works;  "She  re. 
ceived  the  spies  with  peace."     In  these  few  words  the 
apostle  comprises  the  whole  story  of  her  receiving 
them;  her  studiously  concealing  them;  the  intelligence 
she  gave  them,  the  prudence  she  used,  the  pains  she 
took,  and  the  danger  she  underwent  in  the  safe  con- 
veyance of  them  to  their  army;  all  which  are  at  large 
recorded,  Josh,  ii,  see  also  James  ii.     Again,  it  was  a 
work  oi'  great  use  and  importance  to  the  church  and 
cause  of  God;  for  had  these  spies  been  taken  and 
slain,  it  would  have  been  a  great  discouragement  to 
the  whole  people,  and  made  them  question  whether 
God  would  be  with  them  in  their  undertaking  or  no; 
and  it  is  evident  that  the  tidings  which  they  carried  to 
Joshua,  and  the  people,  from  the  intelligence  which 
they  had  by  Rahab,  was  a  mighty  encouragement  to 
them;  for  they  report  their  discovery  in  her  ivords; 
they  said  unto  Joshua,  ^'IVuly  the  Lord  hath  delivered 
into  our  hands  all  the  land;  for  even  all  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  country  do  faint  because  of  us,"  Josh,  ii, 
24;  and  it  was  a  work  accompanied  with  the  utmost 
hazard  and  danger  to  herself;  had  the  matter  been 
discovered,  doubtless  she,  and  all  she  possessed,  had 
been  utterly  destroyed;  and  all  these  things  set  a  great 
lustre  upon  this  work,  whereby  she  evidenced   her 
faith  and  her  justification;  and  as  this  is  an  instance 
exceedingly  apposite  to  the  purpose  of  the  apostle,  to 
arm  and  encouiage  believers  against  the  difficulties 
and  dangers  which  they  were  to  meet  with  in  their 
profession;  so  it  is  sufficient  to  condemn  multitudes 


254  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  U. 

among  ourselves,  who,  after  a  long  profession  of  the 
truth,  are  ready  to  tremble  at  the  first  approach  of 
danger,  and  thmk  it  their  wisdom  to  keep  at  a  distance 
from  such  as  are  exposed  to  danger  and  sufferings. 

§5.  The  fruit  of  this  faith  of  Rahab  was,  that  she 
perished  not,  she  was  not  destroyed;  Josh,  vi,  25,  ^'And 
Joshua  saved  Rahab  the  harlot  alive,  and  her  father's 
household,  and  all  that  she  had,  and  she  dwelt  in  Is- 
rael to  this  day."  Note,  it  is  good,  and  sometimes 
useful,  to  be  related  to  them  that  believe;  but  what  is 
added  of  her  "dwelling  in  Israel"  plainly  intimates  her 
solemn  conjunction  to  the  people  of  God  in  faith  and 
worship;  yea,  I  am  persuaded  that  from  henceforward 
she  was  as  eminent  in  faith  and  holiness,  as  she  had 
been  before  in  sin  and  folly;  for  it  was  not  for  her 
'wealth  that  she  was  afterwards  married  to  Salmon  the 
son  of  Naasson,  the  prince  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  Matt. 
i,  5,  becoming  thereby  to  have  the  honor  of  a  place  in 
the  genealogy  of  our  blessed  Savior,  and  of  a  type  of 
the  interest  of  the  Gentiles  in  his  incarnation.  The 
Holy  Ghost  also  taking  occasion  twice  to  mention 
her  in  a  way  of  commendation,  and  proposing  her  as  an 
example  of  faith  and  obedience,  gives  such  an  appro- 
bation of  her,  as  testifies  her  to  have  been  eminent  and 
exemplary  in  these  things. 

§6.  The  following  observations  offer; 

1.  Although  unbelief  be  not  the  only  destroying 
sin,  (for  the  wages  of  every  sin  is  death,  and  many 
are  accompanied  with  peculiar  provocations)  yet  it  is 
the  only  sin  which  makes  eternal  destruction  inevitable 
and  remediless.     And, 

2.  Where  there  are  means  granted  of  the  revelation 
of  God  and  his  will,  unbelief  is  the  greatest  and  most 
provoking  thing,  and  from  whence  God  is  glorified  in 
his  severest  judgment.     And, 


Ver.  32.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  255 

3.  Where  this  revelation  of  the  mind  and  will  of 
God  is  most  open,  full,  and  evident,  and  the  means  of 
it  are  most  express,  and  suited  to  the  communication 
of  the  knowledge  of  it,  there  is  the  highest  aggravation 
of  unbelief.  If  the  inhabitants  of  Jericho  perished  in 
their  unbelief,  because  they  believed  not  the  report  that 
was  brought  to  them  of  the  mighty  works  of  God; 
what  will  be  the  end  of  them  who  live  and  die  in  their 
unbelief  under  the  daily,  constant  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  the  most  glorious  revelation  of  the  mind  and 
will  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  men!  Heb.  ii,  3. 

4.  Every  thing  which  God  designs  as  an  ordinance 
to  bring  men  to  repentance,  ought  to  be  diligently  at- 
tended to  and  complied  with,  seeing  the  neglect  of  the 
call  of  God  therein  shall  be  severely  revenged.  Such 
were  his  mighty  works  in  those  days;  and  such  are  his 
judgments  in  all  ages. 

5.  It  is  in  the  nature  of  true,  real,  saving  faith,  im- 
mediately, or  at  its  first  opportunity,  to  declare  and 
protest  itself  in  confession  before  men;  or  confession  is 
absolutely  inseparable  from  faith,  and  the  fearful,  that 
is,  those  who  fly  from  public  profession  in  times  of 
danger  and  persecution,  shall  be  no  less  assuredly  ex- 
cluded from  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  than  unbelievers 
themselves.  Rev.  xxi,  8. 

6.  A  separation  from  the  carnal  cause  and  interest 
of  the  world  is  required  in  all  believers,  and  will  ac- 
company true  faith  wherever  it  is. 


VERSE  32. 
jind  what  shall  I  say  more?  For  the  tiine  nvould  fail  me  to  tell  of 
Gideouy  and  of  Barak,  and  of  Sam/inon,  and  of  Je/ihthec,  of  Da- 
■vid  alaOf  and  Samuel,  and  of  the  /iro/thets. 

§1.  Connexion  and  general  remarks.  §2.  Exposition.  §3.  How  does  it  appear 
that  it  was  by  faith  these  persons  acted?  *4.  Especially  in  their  heroic  acti«ns. 
how  they  could  be  examples  to  us.     §5.  Observations. 


256  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Cbaf.  11. 

§1.  Jn  this  verse,  and  to  end  of  ver.  38,  he  sums  up 
the  remaining  testimonies,  which  out  of  many  he  in- 
sisted on,  with  intimation  that  there  were  yet  more  of 
the  like  kind  upon  record,  which  he  would  not  so 
much  as  name. 

We  may  here  notice  two  things; 

1.  That  in  the  naming  of  them,  (Gideon,  Barak, 
Sampson,  Jephthre,  David,  and  Samuel,)  he  doth  not 
observe  the  order  of  time  wherein  they  lived;  for  Ba- 
rak was  before  Gideon,  and  Jephthse  before  Sampson, 
and  Samuel  before  David. 

2.  He  doth  not  reckon  up  the  things  they  did  in  the 
same  order  wherein  he  had  named  the  persons;  so  as 
that  the  first  thing  mentioned  should  be  ascribed  to 
him  that  was  first  named,  and  so  in  order;  but  he  useth 
his  liberty  in  setting  down  both  the  names  of  the  per- 
sons and  of  the  things  ascribed  to  them;  and  the  things 
he  mentioneth  cannot  all  be  absolutely  applied  to  the 
persons  named;  but  some  of  them  were  wrought  by 
others  whose  names  are  not  expressed.  Having  given 
this  account  of  the  scope  and  argument  of  the  apostle, 
I  shall  be  very  brief  in  the  exposition  of  the  particulars. 

§2.  (K«{  Ti  ell  Aeyw;)  And  what  shall  I  say  more? 
Or,  why  do  I  farther  speak?  He  had  in  readiness 
many  more  examples  of  the  same  kind.  To  multiply 
arguments  and  testimonies  beyond  what  is  necessary, 
gerv^es  only  to  divert  the  mind  from  attending  to  the 
truth  itself  to  be  confirmed;  for  the  time  would  fail 
me;  it  would  be  a  work  of  that  length  as  would  not 
be  contained  within  the  bounds  which  I  have  assigned 
to  this  epistle,  should  I  so  declare  their  faith  and  the 
fruits  of  it  in  particular,  as  I  have  done  in  the  forego- 
ing characters;  yet  he  so  names  them  as  to  bring  them 
in  witness  in  the  cause. 


Ver.  32.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  257 

§3.  How  doth  it  appear  that  it  was  by  faith  they 
pertormed  the  things  ascribed  to  them? 

1.  They  all,  or  at  least  most  of  them,  had  special 
calls  from  God  to  the  woiks  which  they  wrought.  So 
had  Gideon  by  an  angel,  Judg.  vii,  Barak  by  the  proph- 
ecy of  Deborah,  Judg.  iv;  Sampson  by  the  direction  of 
an  angel  to  his  parents,  Judg.  xiii;  so  was  it  also,  it  is 
well  known,  with  Samuel  and  David;  they  liad  their 
ealls  immediately  from  God;  and  as  for  Jcphthse,  he 
was  first  chosen  by  the  people  to  his  office  and  work, 
Judg.  xi,  11;  which  God  approved  of  in  giving  him 
his  Spirit  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  ver.  29.  They 
were  satisfied  in  their  call  from  God,  and  so  trusted  in 
him  for  his  aid  and  assistance. 

2.  The  work  which  they  had  to  do  was  the  work 
of  God;  namely,  to  deliver  the  church  from  trouble 
and  oppression;  and  there  was  a  promise  annexed  to 
their  works,  when  undertaken  according  to  the  mind 
of  God;  yea,  many  promises  to  this  purpose  were  left 
on  record  for  their  encouragement,  Deut.  xxxii,  36,  &c. 
this  promise  they  rested  on  by  faith  in  all  their  under- 
takings. 

3.  Some  of  them,  as  Gideon,  Barak,  and  David, 
had  particular  promises  of  success  in  what  they  were 
called  to;  and  although  at  first  they  might  be  slow  in 
believing  them,  yet  in  the  issue  their  faith  was  victori- 
ous, and  they  "obtained  the  promises,"  as  in  the  next 
verse. 

On  these  grounds  they  wrought  all  their  great 
works  of  faith,  whereby  they  engaged  the  divine  pres- 
ence and  assistance,  and  are  therefore  a  meet  example 
to  be  proposed  for  our  encouragement. 

§4.  And  though  these  examples  were  cliicfly  heroic 
actions,  yet  consider; 

1.    The  faith  whereby  they  wrought  these  great 


258  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

things  was  of  the  same  nature  and  kind  with  that 
which  is  in  every  true  believer;  wherefore,  as  it  was 
effectual  in  them  for  those  duties  whereunto  they  were 
called,  it  will  be  so  in  us  also,  as  to  all  wt  may  be 
called  to. 

2.  To  destroy  the  kingdom  of  Satan  in  us,  to  de- 
molish all  his  strong  holds,  to  overcome  the  world  in 
all  its  attempts  on  our  eternal  safety,  will  appear  one 
day  not  to  be  inferior  to  the  conquest  of  kingdoms, 
and  overthrow  of  armies.  See  Eph.  vi,  10 — 12,  &c. 
And  we  may  learn  hence, — That  it  is  not  the  dignity 
of  the  person  that  gives  efficacy  to  faith,  but  faith 
makes  the  person  accepted — That  neither  the  guilt  of 
sin,  nor  the  sense  of  it,  should  hinder  us  from  acting 
faith  on  God  in  Christ,  when  we  are  called  to  it — That 
true  faith  will  save  great  sinners;  for  that  they  were 
all  saved  who  are  on  this  catalogue  of  believers,  the 
apostle  expressly  affirms,  verse  39. 

§5.  Ohs.  There  is  nothing  so  difficult  or  seeming- 
ly insuperable,  no  discouragement  so  great,  from  a 
sense  of  our  own  unworthiness  by  sin,  nor  opposition 
arising  against  us  from  both  of  them  in  conjunction, 
that  should  hinder  us  from  believing  when  we  are  cal- 
led to  it. 


VERSE  33—35. 
IVho  through  faith  subdued  kingdoms.^  wrought  righteousness,  ob- 
tained firornises,  sto/i/ifd  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  vio- 
lence of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness 
were  made  stro7ig,  waxed  valiant  in  fight;  turned  to  flight  the 
armies  of  the  aliens;  women  received  their  dead  raised  to  lifd 
again. 

§1.  From  the  persons,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  the  things  pei-forraed  by  faith. 
§2.  They  subdued  kingdoms.  What  kingdoms,  and  liow,  by  faith,  §3.  Wrought 
I'ighteousntss.  §4.  Obtained  particu'ar  promises.  ^5.  Stopped  the  mouths  of 
lions.  §6.  Quenched  the  violence  of  fire.  §7.  Escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword. 
§8.  Some  out  of  weakness  were  made  strong.  §9-  Waxed  valiant  in  fight. 
§10.  Koutcd  armies.    Jll.  Women  received  tlieir  dead.    §1'2.  Observations, 


Ver.  33—35.    EPISTLE  TO  TFIE  HEBREWS.  £59 

§1.  From  the  enumeration  of  persons  that  believed, 
the  apostle  proceeds  to  declare  the  things  which  they 
wrought  by  faith,  all  to  the  same  end,  to  encourage  us 
to  make  use  of  the  same  grace  in  all  our  occasions  and 
emergencies.  {Aiu  %ialeui)  through  faith;  the  same 
with  (rta-lei)  by  faith,  all  along  in  the  chapter;  an  in- 
strumental cause.  The  words  are  of  common  use, 
and  there  is  no  difference  in  the  translation  of  ihem. 

§2.  The  first  thing  ascribed  to  them  is,  that  they 
''subdued  kingdoms."  The  simple  verb  {ayuvii^oixui) 
signifies  to  fight,  to  contend,  to  enter  into  trial  of 
strength  and  courage  in  the  threatre  or  the  field.  And 
thence  (/«1«ywv/?ofA«<)  the  word  here  used  is  to  prevail 
in  battle,  to  conquer,  to  subdue.  ''They  subdued 
kingdoms.''^  This  is  generally  and  rightly  assigned  to 
Joshua  and  David;  Joshua  subdued  all  the  kingdoms 
of  Canaan;  and  David,  all  those  about  it;  as  Moab, 
Amnion,  Edom,  Syria,  and  the  Philistines.  But  it 
maybe  inquired,  how  this  conquering  of  kingdoms 
should  be  a  fruit  and  effect  oi faith?  For  the  most 
of  them  who  have  subdued  kingdoms  in  the  world, 
have  not  only  been  unbelievers,  but  for  the  most  part 
wicked  and  bloody  tyrants.  I  say,  therefore,  that 
the  kingdoms  subdued  by  faith,  were  of  two  sorts: 

1.  Those  within  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  were 
destroyed  by  Joshua;  which  had  by  their  wickedness 
forfeited  their  land  and  lives  to  divine  justice. 
Wherefore,  God  having  given  the  country  to  the 
Israelites,  they  in  the  conquest  of  them  only  executed 
the  judgments  of  God,  taking  possession  of  what  was 
their  own. 

2.  Such  as  were  al)oui  that  land  which  was  the  in- 
heritance and  possession  of  the  church,  and  were  ene- 
mies to  the  worship  of  the  true  God;  such  were  theos 

VOL.  IV.  33 


260  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  n, 

conquered  by  David.  Now  it  was  the  will  of  God 
that  they  should  be  so  far  subdued,  as  that  the  land 
might  be  a  quiet  habitation  to  his  people.  Wherefore 
through  faith  they  subdued  these  kingdoms;  in  that 
they  did  it  on  God's  command,  and  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  promises.  Tiie  persons  destroyed  by  them 
being  devoted  to  destmctioo  for  their  own  sins,  they 
did  only  execute  the  rightt  ous  judgment  of  God  upon 
them.  Again;  it  deserves  farther  notice,  that  although 
it  was  through/ai^/t  they  subdued  kingdoms,  yet  they 
made  use  of  all  hei  eic  virtues,  such  as  courage,  valor, 
military  skill,  and  the  like.  Never,  doubtless,  were  there 
on  the  earth,  more  valiant  men  than  Joshua  and  Da- 
vid, nor  were  there  any  who  underwent  greater  hard- 
ships and  dangers  in  war.  These  things  are  perfectly 
consistent,  yea,  mutua  lly  helpful  to  one  another;  for 
as  faith  will  excite  all  graces  and  virtues  that  are  use-, 
ful  for  any  enterprize  men  are  called  to,  so  they,  in 
their  turns,  are  subservient  to  faith  in  wliat  it  is  cal- 
led to. 

§3.  The  second  thing  ascribed  to  these  Worthies  is, 
that  through  fiuth  {ei^yuaxMlo  livMoawviv)  '■Hliey  'wrought 
righteousness.^^  There  is  a  threefold  state  of  life, 
and  corresponding  thereto,  a  thri  efold  righteousness; 
namely,  military,  moral,  and  political.  In  the  first 
way,  to  "work  righteousness,"  is  as  much  as  to  exe- 
cute judgment,  thejudgment  of  God  on  the  enemies 
of  the  church,  Psalm  cxlix,  6 — 9.  In  amoral  sense 
it  compriseth  a  respect  to  all  the  duties  of  the  second 
table;  and  so  (spyu^so-Oai  drAuioa-veviv)  to 'work  righteous- 
ness, is  the  same  with  (xoif/v  liy.uLoavjViv)  fo  do  right- 
eousness, 1  John  iii,  7.  To  woi  k  righteousness  in  a 
political  sense  is  to  be  righteous  in  rule  and  govern- 
ment, to  administer  justice  and  judgment  to  all  that 
are  under  their  rule.     Now  all  the   persons  expressly 


Ver.  33—35.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  261 

mentioned,  being  rulers  and  judges,  and  this  righteous- 
ness being  of  such  eminent  use  to  the  church  and  to 
the  world;  it  is  that  most  likely,  which  is  here  ascrib- 
ed to  them.  See  Psalm  ci,  throughout;  and  1  Sam. 
vii,  15—17. 

§4.  It  is  said  of  them  that  they  '•^obtained  promises.''^ 
Sundry  expositors  have  taken  pains  to  reconcile  this 
with  what  is  said,  ver.  39.  As  if  "they  obtained,"  and 
"they  received  not  the  promise,"  were  contradictory. 
But  they  make  a  diflliculty  themselves  where  there  is 
none;  which  when  they  have  done,  they  cannot  easily 
solve.  For  (eT/7u%ov  siuyyehiccv)  they  obtained  promises^ 
viz.  the  things  peculiarly  promised  to  them  on  partic- 
ular occasions,  may  well  consist  with  (sx  e-Ac^iaavlo  tvjv 
eTuyyeKiav)  they  received  not  that  great  promise  of  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  in  its  actual  accomplish- 
ment; wherefore  the  promises  here  intended,  which  by 
faith  they  obtained,  were  such  as  were  made  particu- 
larly to  themselves.  As  to  Joshua,  that  he  should  con- 
quer Canaan;  to  Gideon,  that  he  should  defeat  the 
Midianites;  and  to  David,  that  he  should  be  king  over 
all  Israel.  And  they  are  said  to  obtain  these  promises, 
because  of  the  difficulty  there  was  in  their  accomplish- 
ment, 3^ea,  and  sometimes  a  seeming  impossibility. 
How  often  was  the  faith  of  Joshua  tried  in  the  con- 
quest of  Canaan;  yet  at  length  he  obtained  the  prom- 
ise. Gideon  was  put  on  a  great  improbability,  when 
he  was  commanded  with  thi^ee  hundred  men  to  set  up- 
on an  innumerable  host,  and  yet  he  obtained  the 
promise  of  their  destruction.  And  it  is  known  how 
long,  and  by  what  various  ways,  the  faith  of  David 
was  tried  and  exercised,  before  the  promise  made  to  him 
was  fulfilled. 

%5.  It  is  ascribed  to  them,  that  they  ^'stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions  i^^  which  may  intend  the  preventing  of 


262  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1 1 

them  from  destroying  and  devouring  by  any  means 
whatever.  It  is  with  their  mouths  that  they  devour; 
and  he  that  hinders  them  from  devouring,  may  well 
be  said  to  stop  their  mouths.  In  this  sense  it  may  be 
ascribed  to  Sampson,  who,  when  a  young  lion  roared 
against  him,  approaching  to  devour  him,  he  rent  him 
to  pieces,  Judg.  xiv,  5,  6.  In  like  manner,  David  stop- 
ped the  mouth  of  a  lion,  when  he  slew  him,  1  Sam. 
xvii,  34,  35.  But  if  the  word  be  taken  in  its  proper 
signification,  to  put  a  stop  to  the  mouth  of  a  lion,  so 
that  he  shall  neither  hurt  nor  devour,  though  he  be 
kept  alive  and  at  liberty,  then  it  is  applied  to  Daniel 
only;  for  so  it  is  said  of  him  expressly,  when  cast  into 
the  den  of  lions,  that  God  had  sent  his  angel,  and  "shut 
the  lion's  mouths,"  tliat  they  did  not  hurt  him;  Dan. 
vi,  22;  and  Daniel  did  it  by  faith;  for  although  the 
ministry  of  angels  was  used  therein,  yet  it  was  done, 
because  he  believed  in  his  God,  ver.  20, 

§6.  {E<7liei7xv  ^vvufjLiv  'zvpog)  ^Hhey  quenched  the  vio- 
lence ofjire.^^  He  doth  not  say,  they  quenched  ftrCy 
which  may  be  done  by  natural  means;  but  they  took 
off  abated,  restrained"the  violence,"  the powej^  of  fire,  as 
if  the  fire  itself  had  been  utterly  quenched.  This,  there- 
lore,  belongs  to  the  three  companions  of  Daniel,  who 
were  cast  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  Dan.  iii,  23. 
The  fire  continued  still,  and  retained  its  burning  power, 
for  it  slew  the  men  that  cast  them  into  the  furnace. 
Bjt  by  faith  they  quenched  or  restrained  the  power 
and  violence  of  it  towards  themselves,  that  not  one 
hair  of  their  head  was  singed,  ver.  27.  And  the  faith 
of  these  men  consisted  in  their  committing  themselves 
to  the  omnipotence  and  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  duty. 

§7.  {E(pvyov  (xlo^ulu  [Lci%ui^ag)  '■^They  escaped  the  edge 
of  the  sword  f  the  mouths  of  the  sword  from  the  He- 


Ver.  33—35.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  263 

brew  (Din  ^13)  and  a  "/^ro  edged  sxcord,^'  they  call  a 
"sword  of  mouths,"  as  in  the  Greek  ( fxetxccipa  ^la-lcfioc, 
chap,  iv,  12.)  ^^They  escaped^^  by  /Z?V/?/  from  the  dan- 
ger. So  was  it  frequently  with  David,  when  he  fled 
from  the  sword  of  Saul,  which  was  in  a  manner  at  his 
throat  several  times,  and  he  "escaped  by  flight,"  where- 
in God  was  with  him.  So  did  Elijah,  when  he  was 
threatened  to  be  slain  by  Jezebel,  1  Kings,  xix,  3.  It 
may  be  said.  Was  not  this  an  effect  oi' fear  rather  than 
of  faith,  with  all  its  good  success?  No;  for  it  is  the 
wisdom  and  duty  of  faith,  to  apply  itself  to  all  lawful 
means  and  wa^^s  of  deliverance  from  danger.  Not  to 
use  means  when  God  affords  them  to  us,  is  not  to  trust 
but  to  tempi  him.  Fear  will  be  in  all  cases  of  danger, 
and  yet  faith  may  have  the  principal  conduct  of  the 
soul.     And  a  victory  is  sometimes  obtained  by  flight. 

§8.  Some  of  them,  (fVfJuva/xwOvio-cjv  wao  utx^Evsiug)  '■^out 
of  'weakness  ivere  made  strong.'^''  The  term  [ucPttvEiu) 
u^eakness,  denotes  any  kind  of  infirmity,  moral  or  cor- 
poreal. The  words  are  taken  almost  literally  out  of 
Isaiah;  "The  writing  of  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah, 
when  he  had  been  sick,  and  was  recovered  of  his  s/cA- 
ness,''^  Isa.  xxxviii,  9;  and  that  this  was  through  faith 
is  evident  in  the  story,  and  was  in  part  miraculous. 

§9.  some  of  them  through  faith  {eyevyi^vijav  ia%vpot 
s'j  xoAf/xw)  were  made  valiant,  waxed  strong  in  fight  or 
battle.  As  this  may  be  applied  to  many  of  them,  as 
Joshua,  Barak,  Gideon,  Jephthoe,  so  David  affirms  of 
himself,  that  "God  tauglit  his  hands  to  war,  so  that  a 
bow  of  steel  was  broken  by  his  arms;  and  that  he  gird- 
ed him  with  strength  unto  battle,"  Psal.  xviii,  34 — 39, 
which  answers  to  what  is  here  affirmed. 

§10.  Of  the  same  kind  is  that  which  followeth, 
(vapsiJ.lhoXai;  eyiXivuv  «AAo7p/wv)  "They  turned  to  fight  ike 
armies  of  the  aliens.^'    The  original  word  (^«pf^peA«il 


264  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

properly  denotes  the  camps  ^  the  fort  ijied  tents  of  an 
army;  but  it  is  used  for  an  army  itself,  1  Sam.  iv,  16; 
an  host  encamped  like  that  of  the  Midianites  when 
Gideon  went  down  unto  it,  Judg.  vii,  10;  which  over- 
throw of  that  host  is  here  principally  intended;  for  so 
it  was  signified  in  the  dream,  that  the  tents  should  be 
smitten  and  overturned,  ver.  13.  But  because  the 
apostle  useth  the  word  in  the  plural  number,  it  com- 
priseth  other  enterprises  of  the  like  nature,  as  that  of 
Barak  and  Jonathan  against  the  Philistines,  with  the 
victories  of  Asa  and  Jehoshaphat,  in  all  which  there 
was  an  eminent  exercise  of  faith,  as  the  stories  of  them 
declare.  And  these  "a/iew«,"  were  those  whom  the 
scripture  calls  (t3''*lT)  straiigers  from  and  enemies  to 
the  church  of  God. 

§11.  It  is  added,  ''Women  received  their  dead  raised 
to  life  again."  These  women  were,  the  widow  of 
Zarephath,  whose  son  Elijah  raised  from  death,  1 
Kings,  xvii,  17 — 24;  and  the  Shunaniitess,  whose  son 
was  raised  by  Elisha,  2  Kings,  iv,  33 — 36.  And  it  is 
said  of  them,  that  they  received  their  children  trom  the 
dead;  for  in  both  places  the  prophets  having  raised 
them  from  the  dead,  gave  them  into  their  mother^s 
arms,  who  received  them  with  joy  and  thankfulness. 
Their  faith  is  not  expressed;  but  respect  is  rather  had 
to  the  faith  of  the  prophets,  who  obtained  this  miracu- 
lous operation  by  faith.  However,  at  least  one  of  them, 
the  Shunamlfess,  seems  to  have  exercised  much  faith 
in  the  whole  matter.  And  it  is  said^  they  received  their 
dead,  {el  avualafrsoog)  out  of,  or,  by  a  resurrection. 
These  ten  instances  did  the  apostle  choose  to  give,  out 
of  the  great  things  that  had  been  done  through  faith, 
to  assure  the  Hebrews,  and  us  with  them,  that  there  is 
nothing  too  hard  or  difficult  for  faith  to  effect,  when  it 
is  set  on  work  and  applied  according  to  the  mind  of 
God. 


k 


Ver.  35—37.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  265 

§12.  We  may  now  observe: 

1.  There  is  nothing  that  can  lie  in  the  way  of  the 
accomplishment  of  any  of  God's  promises,  but  it  is 
conquerable  by  faith.  Or,  whatever  difficulties  any 
one  may  have  to  conflict  with  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duty,  if  he  abide  in  faith,  he  shall  in  the  end  obtain  the 
things  promised. 

2.  Faith,  that  hath  thus  "stopped  the  mouths  of  li- 
ons," can  restrain,  disappoint,  and  stop  the  rage  of  the 
most  savage  oppressors  and  persecutors  of  the  church. 

3.  We  ought  to  exercise  faith  about  temporal  mer- 
cies, as  they  are  oftentimes  received  by  it,  and  given 
on  account  of  it. 


VERSES  35--3/. 
'—jind  others  were  tortured,  not  acce/itivi^  deliverance,  that  they 
might  obtain  a  better  resurrectioTi.  And  others  had  trial  of 
cruel  mockings,  and  scourging.t,  yea,  moreover,  of  bonds  ajid 
im/irisonment.  7 hey  were  stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder, 
were  tempted,  wtre  slain  with  the  sword;  they  xsandered  about 
in  sheefi-skins  and  goat-skins,  being  destitute,  afflicted,  tor- 
mented. 

§1.  Instances  of  another  nature.  The  power  of  faith  under  various  sufferings, 
2,  Some  were  tortured  to  death,  $3  Yet  accepted  not  deliverance.  '4-  Tlie 
ground  of  their  steadfastness.  §.'5.  Others  had  trials  of  mockings,  scourgings, 
bonds,  imprisonments.  ^6.  Stoned.  §7.  Some  were  sawn  asunder.  <8. 
Tempted.  v^9.  Slain.  §10.  Some  wandered  about,  JU.  Meanly  clothed, 
$l'i.  and  destitute  of  friends.     |^13.  Observaiions, 

§1.  He  proceeds  in  the  next  place  to  instances  quite 
of  another  nature,  and  which  were  more  immediately 
suited  to  the  condition  of  the  Hebrews:  for  hearine:  of 
these  gi'eat  and  glorious  things,  they  might  be  apt  to 
think  that  they  were  not  so  immediately  concerned  in 
them.  For  their  condition  was  poor,  persecuted,  ex- 
posed to  all  evils,  and  death  itself,  for  the  piofession  of 
the  gospel.  Their  interest  therefore  was  to  inquire  what 
help  from  faith  they  might  expect  in  that  condition? 
What  will  faith  do,  where  men  are  to  be  oppressed, 


266  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

persecuted,  and  slain?  To  this  he  replies,  that  its 
power  was  great  in  preserving  the  souls  of  believers 
under  the  greatest  sufferings.  There  is  as  much  glory 
to  a  spiritual  eye  in  the  catalogue  of  the  effects  of  faith 
which  follow,  as  in  that  which  went  before.  The 
church  is  no  less  beautiful  and  glorious  when  encom- 
passed and  seemingly  overwhelmed  with  all  the  evils 
and  dreadful  miseries  here  recounted,  than  when  it  is 
in  the  greatest  peace  and  prosperity.  To  look  indeed 
only  on  the  outside  of  them,  gives  a  terrible  prospect; 
but  to  see  faith  and  love  to  God  working  effectually 
under  them  all;  to  see  comforts  retained,  yea,  consola- 
tions abound,  holiness  promoted,  God  glorified,  the 
world  condemned,  the  souls  of  men  profited,  and  at 
length  triumphant  over  all;  i-his  is  beautiful  and  glori- 
ous. To  do  the  greatest  things,  and  to  suffer  the  hard- 
est, is  all  one  to  faith.  It  is  equally  ready  for  both  as 
God  shall  call,  and  equally  effectual.  These  things,  as 
to  the  Jlesh,  differ  nearly  as  heaven  and  hell,  they  are 
both  alike  to  faith  when  duty  calls.  The  apostle  takes 
most  of  these  instances,  if  not  all,  from  the  time  of  the 
persecution  of  the  church  under  Anticchus,  the  king  of 
Syria,  in  the  days  of  the  Maccabees. 

^2.  "Others  were  tortured,  not  accepting  deliver- 
ance, that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection." 
(Elu/xT&v/(rOvio-«v)  they  tvere  tortured;  critics  have  re- 
marked, that  (TufATavov)  tympanum,  whence  the  word 
i3  formed,  signifies  either  an  engine  whereon  those  who 
were  tortured  were  stretclied  out,  as  a  skin  is  stretched 
on  the  head  of  a  drum;  or  the  instruments  used  in 
beating  them.  So  some  render  the  word,  fnsfiJ)us 
multati,  contusi,  caisi;  but  the  word  is  frequently  used 
to  take  away  the  lives  of  men  by  any  kind  oH  torture 
or  tormenting  pain,  therefore  the  precise  notation  of  it 
fipm  the  original  is  not  here  so  much  to  be  regarded: 


Ver.  35—37.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  £67 

we  have,  therefore,  rendered  it  properly,  ^'were  tor- 
tured;^' that  is,  to  death.     Tliere  is  no  doubt  but  the 
apostle  hath  respect  herein  to  the  story  recorded  in  the 
sixth  and  seventh  chapters  of  the  second  book  of  Mac- 
cabees.    For  the  words  are  a  summary  of  the  things 
there  ascribed  to  Eleazer,  who  was  beaten  to  death 
when  he  had  been  persuaded  and  allured  to  accept  de- 
liverance by  transgressing  the  law.     And  the  like  re- 
spect may  be  had  to  the  mother  and  her  seven  sons, 
whose  torments  are  there  also  recorded.     There  never 
was  any  greater  instance  of  the  degeneracy  of  human 
nature  to  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  devil  than  this, 
that  so  many  men  have  been  found,  even  in  high  pla- 
ces of  power — emperors,  kings,  judges,  and  priests — 
who  were  not  satisfied  to  take  away  the  lives  of  the 
true  worshippers  of  God  by  the  sword,  or  such  other 
ways  as  they  slew  the  worst  of  malefactors,  but  invent- 
ed all  kinds  of  hellish  tortures  whereby  to  destroy 
them.     But  this  also  hath  God  seen  good  to  permit, 
in  that  patience  whereby  he  endures,  with  much  long- 
suffering,  the  vessels  of  wrath  that  are  thus  fitted  for 
destruction.    "  They  were  tortured;^'  that  is,  the  utmost 
that  the  devil  and  the  world  can  reach  unto,  all  the 
hell  he  hath  to  threaten  his  enemies  with.     But  when 
he  hath  done  his  utmost,  it  falls  only  on  the  body,  it 
cannot  reach  the  soul;  it  id  but  of  a  short  continuance, 
and  gives  assurance  of  entering  into  a  blessed  eternity. 
It  can  shut  out  no  divine  consolation  from  the  minds 
of  them  that  suffer;  a  little  precious  faith  will  carry  be- 
lievers victoriously  through  the  worst  of  all. 

^o.  The  way  whereby  those  who  were  tortured  ev- 
idenced their  faith,  was,  that  they  "accepted  not  de- 
liverance," that  is,  freedom  from  their  toiiures,  which 
was  offered  them  in  case  they  would  forego  their  pro-  ' 
fession.     This  is  expressly  aflfirmed  of  Eleazer,  and 

VOL.  IV.  34 


268  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  1 L 

the  seven  brethren.  Yea,  they  were  not  only  offered 
to  be  freed  from  tortures  and  death,  but  to  have  great 
rewards  and  promotions,  which  they  magnanimously 
refused.  And  it  was  not  thus  with  them  only,  but 
also  with  all  that  have  been  tortured  for  religion.  For 
the  principal  design  of  the  devil,  in  bringing  them  un- 
to tortures,  is — not  to  slay  their  bodies  thereby,  though 
tif  .t  he  aims  at  in  the  next  place,  in  case  his  first  de- 
sign fails,  but — to  destroy  their  souls.  Unto  Eleazer 
it  was  offered,  that  he  should  bring  flesh  of  his  own 
providing  to  the  place  where  he  was  to  eat,  and  only 
make  an  appearance  that  he  had  eaten  swine's  flesh, 
which  he  resolutely  and  gloriously  refused.  It  may 
he,  this  would  by  some  be  esteemed  a  small  matter, 
and  such  as,  for  the  refusal  whereof,  wise  men  ought 
not  to  have  undergone  martyrdom  by  tortures.  But 
the  things  which  are  commanded  or  forbidden  of  God, 
are  not  to  be  esteemed  by  the  matter  of  them,  or 
what  they  are  in  themselves,  but  by  the  authority  of 
him  tiiat  commands  or  forbids  them.  The  authority 
of  God  may  be  despised  in  small  things  as  well  as  in 
great;  and  therefore  God  doth  ordinarily  choose  out 
arbitrary  institutions  for  the  trial  of  the  church's  faith. 
So  the  martyrs  have  in  England  died  on  account  of 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper.  And  if  we  be- 
gin at  any  time  to  suppose  that,  to  save  our  lives,  we 
may  comply  witli  some  lesser  things  (as  it  were  bow- 
ing in  the  house  of  Rimmon)  forbidden  by  Jehovah, 
both  faith  and  profession  are  lost.  We  know  not 
what  command,  what  ordinance,  what  institution, 
what  prohibition,  God  will  single  out  to  be  the  means 
and  subject  of  our  trial  as  to  sufferings.  If  we  are 
not  equally  ready  to  suffer  for  every  one,  we  shall 
suffer  for  none  at  all,  see  Jam.  ii,  10. 

%i.  The  ground  of  their  steadfastness  in  their  pro- 


Ver.  35-.37.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  269 

fession,  and  under  their  tortures,  was,  "that  they  might 
obtain  a  better  resurrection."  So  one  of  the  brethren 
in  Maccabees  afiirmed  expressly,  that  he  "endured 
those  torments,  and  death  itself,  in  that  he  believed 
God  would  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  This,  as 
the  Syriac  has  it,  they  were  '^intent  upon."  And  this 
the  apostle  calls  a  '^better  resurrection,^^  not  only  in 
opposition  to  the  deliverance  they  refused,  but  because 
he  intends  that  "better  resurrection,"  which  is  io  life; 
for  seeing  all  shall  rise  again,  only  some  shall  to  life, 
but  some  to  everlasting  torments. 

§5.  "Others  had  trial  of  cruel  mockings  and  scourg- 
ings,  yea,  moreover  of  bonds  and  imprisonments."  It 
is  of  no  use  to  fix  the  particulars  mentioned  to  certain 
determinate  persons,  as  Jeremiah,  or  others:  for  seeing 
the  apostle  hath  left  that  undetermined,  so  may  we. 
Certain  it  is,  that  there  were  in  those  days  believers 
who,  through  faith,  patiently  and  victoriously  under* 
went  these  things.  Of  which  it  is  said,  {%£i?civ  eXaliov) 
they  had  trial;  (experti  sunt)  they  had  experience  of 
them,  they  really  underwent  them,  and  consequently 
their  faith  was  tried  with  them.  (E/xxa/yixwy)  of  cruel 
mockhiP's:  such  as  were  cast  on  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
himself;  see  Matt,  xx,  19;  xxvii,29.  hidibrium,  a  mock- 
ing with  reproach  and  contumely,  or  scorn.  Hence 
we  have  rendered  it  "cruel  mockings."  The  world  is 
never  more  witty,  nor  doth  more  please  itself,  than 
when  it  can  invent  repi'oachful  names  and  pretended 
crimes  to  cast  upon  suffering  believers.  Wheicas  the 
word  is  derived  from  (%aiKoo,  and  that  from  'xai;)  to 
plaif  and  mock  childishly,  it  may  respect  the  calumni- 
ous icproaches  that  ofteiUimes  in  the  streets  are  cast 
on  suffering  professors  by  the  rude  foolish  multitude, 
like  the  children  that  ran  after  Elisha  mocking  and 
scofiing  at  him.    And  tiiis  is  reckoned  among  "severe 


270  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  U. 

sufferings,"  there  being  nothing  more  harsh  to  ingenu- 
ous minds,  nor  any  thing  almost  wliich  they  had  not 
as  willingly  undergo;  nor  is  there  any  thing  that  their 
adversaries  inflict  on  them  with  more  pleasure  and  ex- 
altation of  mind.  Mockings  are  persecutor's  triumphs; 
but  these  also  faith  will  conquer.  To  these  {fj.aaliyuv) 
stripes  are  added,  a  servile  punishment  used  towards 
vagabonds  and  the  vilest  of  men.  Of  the  two  last 
ways  of  trial,  viz.  ^^bonds  and  imprisonment"  we  have 
had  so  full  an  exposition  in  the  days  wherein  we  livCy 
that  they  need  no  farther  explication. 

§6.  "They  were  stoned."  This  kind  of  death  was 
peculiar  to  the  Jews;  and,  therefore,  may  not  be  mis- 
applied to  Naboth;  1  Kings  xxxi,  13,  and  Zechariah, 
2  Chron.  xxiv,  21.  This  punishment  was  appointed 
by  law  for  blasphemers,  idolaters,  false  prophets,  and 
the  like  profaners  of  true  religion  only.  But  when 
the  persecuting  world  grew  to  the  height  of  impiety, 
it  was  applied  to  those  that  were  the  true  professors  of 
it.  So  the  blood  of  the  first  christian  martyr  was 
shed  under  the  pretence  of  that  law,  Acts  vii,  and,  in- 
deed, the  devil  is  '-never  more  a  devil,"  than  when  he 
gets  a  pretence  of  God's  weapons  into  his  hands. 

§7.  "They  were  sawn  asunder;"  some  were  so,  al- 
though their  names  and  the  particular  facts  are  not 
recorded.  A  savage  kind  of  torture,  evidencing  the 
malice  of  the  devil,  with  the  brutish  rage  and  madness 
of  persecutors. 

§8.  "They  were  tempted;"  the  expression  may  de- 
note— either  a  distinct  kind  of  suffering,  by  which  we 
may  gather  how  great  a  trial  there  is  in  temptations 
in  a  suffering  season,  and  what  vigor  of  faith  is  re- 
quired to  conflict  with  them;  or,  the  temptations 
wherewith  they  were  urged  by  their  persecutors  un- 
der their  suffeiings,  and  the  threatenings  of  death  to 


Ver.  35—37.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  271 

them.  It  is  an  especial  promise  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  when  persecution  comeih,  he  will  "keep 
his  own  from  the  hour  and  power  of  temptation, 
Rev.  iii,  10. 

§9.  "They  were  slain  with  the  sword,"  or  died  by 
the  slaughter  of  the  sword;  the  sword  either  of  injus- 
tice and  oppression  in  form  of  law,  or  of  violence  and 
force,  1  Kings  xix,  10.  Many  have  been  beheaded 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  Rev.  xx,  4. 

Thus  we  see  that  all  sorts  of  death  have  been  conse- 
crated to  the  glory  of  God  in  tiie  sufferings  of  the 
church.  Christ  himself,  the  Amen  and  faithful  wit- 
ness, was  ci'ucitied;  J )hn  the  Biptist,  his  forerunner, 
was  beheaded;   Stephen,  his  fust  martyr,  was  stoned. 

§10.  "They  wandered  about  in  sheep-skins  and 
goat-skins."  {UepieK^ov)  they  wfindered  about;  went 
from  place  to  place  without  any  fixed  residence  or 
quiet  habitation;  they  were  driven  from  their  own 
houses  by  law  or  violence,  sometimes  flying  from  one 
city  to  another,  sometimes  forced  to  forsake  them  all, 
and  betake  themseh^es  to  the  wilderness.  The  best 
interpretation  of  this  word  and  place  is  given  us  by  the 
apostle  in  the  instance  of  himself,  (1  Cor.  iv,  11,  'jraMi:- 
fAcv)  ice  xcauder,  we  have  no  abiding  place,  but  movt' 
up  and  down,  as  men  altogetiier  uiiccitain  where  to 
fix. 

§11.  But  it  maybe  said,  that  although  they  did 
thus  go  up  and  down,  yet  they  travelled  in  good  equi- 
page;  no,  they  thus  wandered  "z?i  sheepskins  and 
goat-skins.''^  Their  outward  condition  was  poor, 
mean,  and  contemptible;  their  clothing  was  the  un- 
tiTought  skins  of  sheep  and  goats;  nothing  here  is  in- 
mated  of  choice,  as  a  testimop.y  of  mortification,  but 
necessity;  they  were  poor  men  that  wandered  up  and 
down  in  poor  clothing.     So  have  the  saints  of  God  in 


272  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  11. 

sundry  seasons  been  reduced  to  the  utmost  extremities 
of  poverty  and  want.  And  there  is  a  satisfaction  in 
faith  and  obedience,  there  are  such  internal  consola- 
tions in  that  state,  as  outbalance  all  the  outward  evils 
that  may  be  undergone  for  the  profession  of  them; 
there  is  a  future  state,  there  are  eternal  rewards  and 
punishments,  which  will  set  all  things  right,  to  the 
glory  of  divine  justice,  and  the  everlasting  honor  of 
the  sufferers. 

§12.  "Destitute,  afflicted,  tormented."  {TalepsiJ^esoi) 
destitute;  Syriac  and  Vulgate  (egentes,  or  indigentes, 
pauperes)  poor,  needy,  wanting.  Ail  good  Latin  in- 
terpreters render  it  by  (desiituti)  destitute,  which  word 
is  by  use  more  significant  in  our  language  than  any 
to  the  same  purpose,  for  which  cause  we  have  bor- 
rowed it  from  the  Litin;  what  I  judge  is  most  partic- 
ularly intended  in  this  word,  is  '■'want  of  friends,  and 
all  means  of  relief  from  them;"  and  this,  as  some 
knew,  is  a  severe  ingredient  in  suffering. 

In  this  condition  they  were  (6A//3o|xevo/)  arfflided. 
The  former  word  declares  what  was  absent,  what 
they  had  not,  as  to  outward  supplies  and  comforts, 
this  declares  what  was  j^resent  with  them,  they  were 
straitened,  or  afflicted.  Here  the  word  seems  to 
have  a  peculiar  respect  to  the  great  straits  they  were 
brought  into  by  the  dangeis  that  continually  pressed 
on  them;  this  state  was  very  afflictive;  that  is,  griev- 
ous, pressing,  and  troublesome  to  their  minds;  for 
when  we  are  called  to  suffer  for  the  gospel,  it  is  the 
will  of  God  that  we  should  be  sensible  of,  and  affect- 
ed with  the  evils  we  undergo,  that  the  power  of  faith 
may  be  evident  in  the  conque&t  of  them. 

It  is  added,  that  they  were  {KcfAHxaiJ-^voi)  tormented; 
properly  (male  liabiti,  or  male  vexati)  not  weU  en- 
treated, which  is  the  siiinification  of  the  -word,  and 


Ver.  38.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  273 

not  'tormented,"  as  we  have  rendered  it.  In  this  wan- 
deiing  condition  tiiey  met  with  very  ill  treatment;  all 
sorts  of  persons  took  occasion  to  vex  and  press  them 
with  various  evils. 

§13.  We  may  from  the  whole  observe; 

1.  Sufferings  will  stir  us  up  to  the  exercise  of  faith, 
on  the  most  difficult  objects  of  it,  and  bring  in  the 
comforts  of  them  into  our  souls.  Faith  of  the  resur- 
rection hath  been  always  most  eminent  in  prisons  and 
under  tortures. 

2.  There  may  be  sufferings  sufficient  for  the  trial  of 
the  faith  of  the  church,  when  the  world  is  restrained 
from  blood  and  death. 

3.  No  instrument  of  cruelty,  no  inventions  of  the  devil 
or  the  world,  no  terrible  preparations  of  death;  that  is, 
no  endeavors  of  the  "gates  of  hell,"  shall  ever  prevail 
against  the  faith  of  God's  elect. 

4.  It  is  no  small  degree  of  suffering,  for  men  by  law 
or  violence  to  be  driven  from  those  places  of  their  own 
habitation,  which  the  providence  of  God,  and  all  just 
right  among  men,  have  allotted  to  them. 


VERSE  38. 

Of  whom  (he  world  was  not  worthy;  they  wa?idered  in  deserts^ 
and  in  mountains^  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth. 

51.  Connexion.    <^2.  The  world  was  not  wortliy  of  them.     $.3.  Their  wandering 
stale  of  life  farther  described.    §4.  Observations. 

§1.  jVIen  in  this  course  of  life  might  be  looked  on 
as  the  "off-scou rings  of  all  things,"  and  unmeet  either 
for  human  converse,  or  any  of  the  good  things  of  this 
world;  but  rather  to  be  esteemed  as  the  beasts  of  the 
field;  these  thoughts  the  apostle  obviates. 

There  are  two  things  in  these  words; — the  characier 
which  the  apostle  gives  to  these  sufferers;  "the  world 


274  EXPOS  ITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

was  not  worthy  of  them;"  and — the  remainder  oHhe\v 
sufferings  which  he  would  represent;  ''They  wandered 
in  deserts,"  &c. 

§2.  Their  character  is,  that  (o  Moo-jao?)  the  world  was 
not  worthy  of  them;  hy  the  "world"  is  understood  the 
inhabitants  of  it,  in  their  interests,  designs,  ends,  and 
actions;  their  successes  in  them,  and  advantages  by 
th6m,  as  they  are  opposite  to  the  true  interest  of  the 
ehurch  and  people  of  God.  In  this  sense  the  world 
in  its  power,  pride,  pomp,  enjoyments,  and  the  like, 
hath  an  high  opinion  of  itself,  as  possessed  of  all  that 
is  desirable,  despising  and  hating  them  who  are  not  in 
conjunction  with  it  in  these  things. 

And  yet  of  this  world  it  is  said,  that  (wv  sm  vjv  uiiog) 
of  these  sufferers  it  was  not  worthy.  The  world  thinks 
them  not  woiihy  of  it;  to  live  in  it,  or  at  least  to  enjoy 
any  name  or  place  among  the  men  of  it;  but  they  may 
esteem  of  it  as  they  please;  we  know  that  this  testimo- 
ny is  true,  and  the  world  one  day  shall  confess  it  to  be 
so.  The  design  of  the  apostle  is  to  obviate  an  objec- 
tion, that  these  persons  were  justly  cast  out  as  not 
worthy  of  the  society  of  mankind,  which  he  doth  by 
a  contrary  assertion,  that  the  world  was  not  worthy  of 
them;  it  was  not  worthy  to  have  converse  with  them; 
it  is  not  worthy  of  those  mercies  and  blessings,  which 
accompany  this  sort  of  persons,  where  they  have  a 
quiet  habitation. 

§3.  Having  given  this  character  of  these  poor  suf- 
ferers, he  proceeds  to  issue  his  account  of  their  suffer- 
ings in  a  farther  description  of  that  wandering  course 
of  life  which  he  liad  before  ascribed  to  them;  (TrAavw/xevo^) 
they  wandered,  with  an  erratical  motion,  without  any 
certain  aim  as  to  any  place  of  rest;  they  were  befojx 
driven  from  cities,  boroughs,  towns  corporate,  and  vil- 
lages, partly  by  law,  partly  by  force.     What  now  re- 


Ver.  38.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  275 

mains  for  them  but  deserts,  solitary,  and  uninhabited 
places?  By  ''desarts  and  uninhabited  mountains,"  aH 
know  what  is  intended;  nor  is  there  any  need  of  any 
exact  distinction  between  ^'dens  and  caves"  though 
possibly  one  may  signify  greater,  the  other  lesser  sub- 
terraneous receptacles;  but  the  common  use  of  the  first 
word  seems  to  denote  such  hollow  places  underground 
as  wild  beasts  have  sheltered  themselves  in  from  the 
pursuit  of  men. 

This  was  the  state  of  these  servants  of  the  living  God, 
when  they  were  driven  from  all  inhabited  places,  they 
found  no  rest  in  deserts  and  mountains,  but  wandered 
up  and  down,  taking  up  dens  and  caves  for  their  shd- 
ter.  And  instances  of  the  same  kind  have  been  multi- 
plied in  the  pagan  and  antichristian  persecutions  of 
the  churches  of  the  New  Testament;  but  that  no  color 
is  hence  given  to  an  hermetical  life  by  voluntary 
choice,  much  less  to  the  horrible  abuse  of  it  under  the 
papacy,  is  openly  evident. 

§4.  Hence  observe; 

1.  Let  the  world  think  as  well,  as  highly,  as  proudly 
of  itself  as  it  pleaseth,  it  is,  when  it  persecutes,  base  and 
unworthy  of  the  society  of  true  believers,  and  of  the 
mercies  wherewith  it  is  accomplished. 

2.  God's  esteem  of  his  people  is  never  the  less  for 
their  outward  sufferings  and  calamities,  whatever  the 
world  judgeth  of  them. 

3.  Oftentimes  it  is  better,  and  more  safe  for  the  saints 
of  God,  to  be  in  the  wilderness  among  the  beasts  of  the 
field,  than  in  a  savage  world,  inflamed  by  the  devil  in- 
to rage  and  persecution. 

4.  Though  the  world  may  prevail  to  drive  the  church 
into  the  wilderness,  to  the  ruin  of  all  public  profession 
in  their  own  apprehension,  yet  it  shall  be  there  pre- 

VOL.  IV.  35 


276  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  H. 

served  to  the  appointed  season  of  its  deliverance;  the 
world  shall  never  have  the  victory  over  it. 

5.  It  becomes  us  to  be  filled  with  thoughts  of  and 
affections  to  spiritual  things,  to  labor  for  an  anticipa- 
tion of  glory,  that  we  faint  not  in  the  consideration 
of  the  evils  that  may  befall  us  on  account  of  the 
gospel. 

VERSES  30,  40. 

And  all  these  having  obtained  a  good  re/iovt  through  faith^  receiv 
ed  not  the  firomise ;  God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for 
ua,  that  they  without  us  should  not  be  made  perfect. 

51.  The  apostle's  concluding  remark,  and  the  subject  stated.  <52.  (I.)  Of  whom 
he  speaks.  §3.  (11.)  What  is  affirmed  of  them.  §4  (III  )  What  is  denied 
concerning  them.    §5 — 7.  (IV.)  The  reason  of  it.    §&,  9.  Observations.   . 

§1.  In  this  close  of  the  apostle's  discourse,  which  is 
an  observation  concerning  all  the  instances  of  the  faith 
of  believers  under  the  Old  Testament,  and  his  judgment 
concerning  their  state,  four  things  are  considerable; 

1.  Who  they  are  of  whom  he  speaks;  "JZZ  f/iese." 

2.  What  he  allows  and  ascribes  to  them;  "They  ob- 
tained a  good  report  througli  faith." 

3.  What  he  yet  denies  to  them;  "They  received  not 
the  promise." 

4.  The  reason  of  it;  "God  having  provided,"  &c. 
%%.  (I.)  Those  of  Avhom  bespeaks  in  this  close  of 

his  discourse,  that  they  "obtained  a  good  report  through 
faith,"  arc  the  same  of  whom  he  affirms  in  the  begin- 
ning of  it,  ver,  2;  for,  of  any  distinction  to  be  made  be- 
tween them,  as  some  would  insinuate,  there  is  not  the 
least  intimation.  It  is  said  expressly  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  that  they  "received  not  the  promises," 
ver.  13;  as  well  as  of  those  now  mentioned.  It  is  one 
thing  to  obtain  {sxayyeKixg)  promises,  indefinitely, 
promises  of  any  sort,  as  some  are  said  to  do,  ver.  33; 


Ver.  3Q,  40.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  277 

and  another  to  receive  (r^iv  sTtayyeXiav)  that  signal 
promise  which  was  made  to  the  fathers.  Nothing  can 
be  more  alien  from  the  design  of  the  apostle,  than  to 
apply  the  promise  intended  to  temporal  deliverance^ 
and  freedom  from  suffering.  Wherefore  the  "all  these" 
intended,  are  all  those  who  have  been  reckoned  up  from 
the  giving  out  of  the  first  promise  concerning  the  Sa- 
vior and  Redeemer  of  the  church,  with  the  destruction 
of  the  works  of  the  devil. 

§3.  (II.)  Of  all  these  it  is  affirmed,  that  they  {f^up- 
Ivpvj^evleg  ^lu,  ^laleug)  obtained  a  good  report  through 
faith;  they  were  well  testified  unto;  they  were  God's 
martyrs,  and  he  in  a  sense  was  theirs,  giving  witness  to 
their  faith;  (see  the  Exposition  of  ver.  2.)  That  they 
were  all  of  them  so  testified  unto  on  account  of  their 
faith,  we  need  no  other  testimony  but  this  of  the  apos- 
tle; yet  is  there  no  doubt  but  that  in  the  several  ages 
of  the  church  wherein  they  lived,  they  were  renowned 
for  their  faith  and  the  fruits  of  it  in  what  they  did  or 
suffered. 

§4.  (III.)  What  he  denies  concerning  them,  is,  that 
they  "received  not  the  promise."  It  is  affirmed  of 
Abraham  that  he  "received  the  promise,"ver.  17;  which 
promise  is  declared  by  the  apostle  to  be  the  great  fun- 
damental promise  of  the  gospel,  chap,  vi,  13 — 18.  The 
same  which  is  the  object  of  the  faith  of  the  church  in 
all  ages;  wherefore  the  promise  formally  considered 
must  in  the  one  place  be  intended;  and  in  the  other  it 
is  considered  materially  as  to  the  thing  itself  promised. 
The  promise,  as  a  faithful  engagement  of  future  good, 
they  received;  but  the  good  thing  itself  was  not  in 
their  days  exhibited;  besides,  whatever  this  promise  be, 
the  apostle  is  positive  that  they  did  not  receive  it,  but 
that  the  Christians  in  those  days  had  received  it.  It  is 
therefore  not  only  untrue,  and  unsafe,  but  contrary  to 


^7$  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  ii. 

the  fundamental  principles  of  our  religion,  the  faith  of 
Christians  in  all  ages,  and  the  design  of  the  apostle  in 
this  whole  epistle,  to  interpret  this  promise,  as  some  do, 
of  any  thing  but  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  of 
his  accomplishment  of  the  work  of  our  redemption, 
with  the  unspeakable  privileges  and  advantages  that 
the  church  hath  received  thereby.  That  this  promise 
was  made  to  the  elders  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world;  that  it  was  not  actually  accomplished  to  them, 
which  was  necessarily  confined  to  one  season,  called 
♦'the  fulness  of  time,"  and  that  herein  lies  the  great  dif- 
ference of  the  two  states  of  the  church,  that  under  the 
Old  Testament,  and  that  under  the  New,  with  the  pre- 
rogative of  the  latter  above  the  former,  are  such 
weighty  sacred  truths,  that  without  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  them  no  important  doctrine  either  of  the  Old 
Testament  or  the  New  can  be  rightly  understood. 
This  then  was  the  state  of  believers  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament; they  had  the  promise  of  the  exhibition  of 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh  for  the  redemption 
of  the  church;  this  promise  they  received,  ssiw  afar  off 
as  to  its  actual  accomplishment,  were  persuaded  of  the 
ti'uth  of  it,  and  embraced  it,  ver.  13;  the  actual  accom- 
plishment of  it  they  desired,  longed  for,  and  looked 
after,  Luke  x,  24;  inquiring  diligently  into  the  grace  of 
God  contained  therein,  1  Pet.  i,  11 — 13;  hereby  they 
enjoyed  the  benefits  of  it  even  as  we.  Acts  xv,  11;  y^t 
they  received  it  not  as  to  its  actual  accomplishment,  in 
the  coming  of  Christ;  and  the  reason  hereof  the  apos- 
tle gives  in  the  next  verse. 

§5.  (IV.)  "God  having  provided,"  &c.  Having  de- 
clared the  victorious  faith  of  believers  under  the  Old 
Testament,  with  what  it  enabled  them  to  do  and  suffer, 
and  given  an  account  of  their  state,  as  to  the  actual  ac- 
complishment of  that  promise  w'hich  they  lived  oi% 


Ver.  39,  40.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  27§ 

and  trusted  to,  the  apostle  now  compares  that  state  of 
theirs  with  that  of  believers  under  the  gospel,  giving 
the  pre-eminence  to  the  latter,  with  the  reason  of  it. 

In  the  exposition  of  these  words,  Schlictingius  pro- 
ceeds on  these  principles;  that  the  promise  intended 
ver.  39,  is  the  promise  of  eternal  life;  that  under  the 
Old  Testament,  believers  had  no  such  promise,  what- 
ever hopes  or  conjectures  they  might  have  of  it;  that 
both  they  and  we  at  death,  cease  to  be  in  soul  and 
body  until  the  resurrection,  none  entering  before  into 
eternal  life.  But,  if  so,  if  when  any  one  dies,  he  is 
nothing  or  as  nothing;  if  it  is  but  one  moment  between 
death  and  the  resurrection,  as  he  contends,  the  state  of 
the  one  is  in  nothing  better  than  the  other,  although 
they  should  die  thousands  of  years  one  before  another. 
But  as  all  these  things  are  openly  false,  and  contrary 
to  the  chief  principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  so  they 
are  utterly  remote  fiom  the  mind  of  the  apostle,  as  we 
shall  see  in  the  exposition  of  the  words. 

Those  of  the  church  of  Borne  do  hereby  fancy  a 
limbus,  a  subterraneous  receptacle  of  souls,  wherein, 
they  say,  the  spirits  of  t)elievers  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment were  detained  until  after  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  so  that  "they  without  us  were  not  made  per- 
fect." Bjt  the  apostle  treats  not  here  at  all  about  the  dif- 
ference between  one  sortof  men  and  another  after  death; 
but  of  that  which  was  between  them  who  lived  under 
the  Old  Testament  church  sta.te,  whilst  they  Uved,  and 
those  that  live  under  and  enjoy  the  privileges  of  the 
New,  as  is  evident  in  the  very  reading  of  the  epistle. 

§6.  "God  having  (7rpo/5^f4/a.afV8)|;/"oxvVZt'f/;  the  word 
properly  signifies  foreseeing;  but  God's  prccvi'iton  is 
his  |)?'orf.9/on,  as  being  always  accompanied  with  his 
preordination;  his  foresight  with  his  decree.  For  known 
«nto  him  are  all  his  works  from  the  foundation  of  the 


280  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  ih 

world,  Acts  XV,  18.  Now  this  provision  of  God  is  the 
(^oiyiovofj-uruv  v.aipuv)  dispensation  of  the  times^  Ephes.  i^ 
10;  the  ordering  of  the  state,  times,  and  seasons  of  the 
church,  and  the  revelation  of  himself  to  it.  ^^ Something 
better y^  that  is,  more  excellent,  a  state  above  theirs,  or 
all  that  is  granted  them.  I  suppose  it  ought  to  be  out 
of  question  with  all  Christians,  that  it  is  the  actual  ex- 
hibition of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh,  the  coming  of 
the  promised  seed,  with  his  accomplishment  of  the 
work  of  redemption,  and  all  the  privileges  of  the  church, 
in  light,  grace,  libeitv,  spiritual  worship,  with  boldness 
of  access  to  God  that  ensued  thereon,  which  is  intend- 
ed. For,  were  not  these  the  things  which  they  ''re- 
ceived  not"  under  the  Old  Testament?  Were  not  these 
the  things  which  were '-promised"  from  the  beginning; 
which  were  expected,  longed  for,  and  desired  by  all 
believers  of  old,  who  yet  saw  them  only  afar  off, 
though  through  faith  they  v/ere  saved  by  virtue  of 
them?  And  are  not  these  the  things  whereby  the 
church  state  of  the  gospel  was  perfected;  the  thingsr 
alone  wherein  our  state  is  better  than  theirs?  For,  as 
to  outward  appearances  of  things,  they  had  more  glory, 
costly  ceremonies  and  spler.dor  in  thicir  worship^  than 
is  appointed  in  the  Christian  church;  and  their  worldly 
prosperity  was  for  a  long  season  very  great,  much  ex- 
ceeding any  thing  that  the  Ch.ristian  church  did  then 
enjoy.  To  deny,  therefore,  these  to  be  the  better  things 
that  God  provided  for  us,  is  to  overthrow  the  faith  of 
the  Old  Testament  and  the  New. 

§7.  "^I'hat  they  without  us  were  not  made  perfect." 
Without  us,  is  as  much  as  without  the  things  which 
are  actually  exhibited  to  us,  the  things  provided  for  us, 
and  our  participation  ot  them.  They  and  we,  though 
distributed  by  divine  provision  into  distinct  states,  yet, 
with  respect  to  the  first  promise,  and  the  renovation  of 
it  to  Abraham,  are  but  one  church,  built  on  the  same 


Vbb.  39,  40.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,  281 

foundation,  and  enlivened  by  the  same  spirit  of  grace. 
Wherefoi'e,  uatil  we  came  into  the  church  state,  thetf 
could  not  be  made  perfect,  seeing  the  church  state  it- 
self  was  not  so.  All  the  advantages  of  grace  and 
mercy  which  they  received  and  enjoyed,  were  by  vir- 
tue of  those  better  things,  which  are  actually  exhibited 
to  us;  these  they  applied  by  faith,  and  enjoyed  noth- 
ing by  virtue  of  any  thing  committed  to  themselves. 
Wherefore, 

That  which  the  apostle  affirms,  is,  that  they  never 
attained  that  perfect  consummaie  spiritual  state  which 
God  had  designed  and  prepared  for  his  church  in  the 
fulness  of  times,  and  which  they  foresaw  should  be 
granted  to  others  and  not  to  themselves,  1  Pet.  i,  11 — 
13.  Sec  chap.  vii. 

I  cannot  but  marvel  that  so  many  have  stumbled, 
as  most  have  done,  in  the  exposition  of  these  words, 
and  involved  themselves  in  diftkulties  of  their  own  de- 
vising; for  they  are  a  plain  epitome  of  the  whole  doc-, 
trinal  part  of  the  epistle;  so  as  that  no  intelligent  judi- 
cious person  can  avoid  the  sense  which  they  tender, 
unless  they  divert  their  minds  from  the  whole  scope 
and  design  of  the  apostle. 

§8.  And  here  we  observe: 

1.  It  is  our  duty  also,  not  only  to  believe  that  we 
may  be  justified  before  God,  but  so  to  evidence  our 
faith  by  the  fruits  of  it,  as  that  we  may  obtain  a 
good  report,  or  be  justified  before  men. 

2.  The  disposal  of  the  states  and  times  of  the 
church,  as  to  the  communication  of  light,  grace,  and 
privileges,  depends  merely  on  the  sovereign  pleasure 
and  will  of  God,  and  not  on  any  merit  or  prepara- 
tion in  man.  The  coming  of  Christ  was  as  little  de- 
served by  the  men  of  that  age,  as  by  those  of  any 
age  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 


2St  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  11. 

3.  Though  God  gives  more  light  and  grace  to  the 
church  in  one  season  than  another,  yet  in  every  season 
he  gives  what  is  sufficient  to  guide  believers  in  their 
faith  and  obedience  to  eternal  life. 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  believers,  in  every  state  of  the 
church,  to  improve  the  spiritual  provision  that  God 
hath  made  for  them;  always  remembering,  that  to 
whom  much  is  given,  much  is  required. 

§9.  And  to  close  this  chapter  we  may  observe: 

1.  God  measures  out  to  all  his  people  their  portion 
in  service,  sufferings,  privileges,  and  rewards,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  good  pleasure.  And  therefore  the 
apostle  shuts  up  this  discourse  of  the  faith,  obedience, 
sufferino-s,  and  successes  of  the  saints  under  the  Old 
Testament,  with  a  declaration  that  God  had  yet  pro- 
vided more  excellent  things  for  his  church,  than  any 
they  were  made  partakers  of.  All  he  doth  in  this 
way,  is  of  mere  grace  and  bounty,  and  therefore  he 
may  distribute  these  things  as  he  pleaseth. 

2.  It  is  Christ  alone  who  was  to  give,  and  could 
give  perfection  or  consummation  to  the  church;  he 
was  in  all  things  to  have  the  pre-eminence. 

3.  All  the  outward  glorious  worship  of  the  Old 
Testament  had  no  perfection  in  it;  and  so  no  glory 
compared  to  that  which  is  brought  in  by  the  gospel, 
2  Cor.  iii,  10. 

4.  4^11  perfection,  all  consummation  is  in  Christ 
alone;  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily;  and  we  are  complete  in  him  who  is  the 
head  of  all  principality  and  power. 


Ver.  I.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS,.  ^SS 


CHAFFER  XII. 

VERSE  1. 

Wherefore  seeing  we  also  are  com/iassed  about  with  so  great  a 
cloud  of  witnesses.^  let  us  lay  aside  every  iveight,  and  the  si?i 
which  doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  lis. 

§1.  The  design  of  the  chapter,  and  the  several  pai-ts  of  it.  §2.  (I  )  Theii-  expo- 
sition. Witnesses,  what  here  jnteniled.  §3.  A  clond  of  them,  what.  $4  The 
weight  to  be  laid  aside,  what.  ^5.  How  to  be  laid  aside.  JG — 8.  Ihe  sin  that 
easily  besets  us,  what  §'J,  How  it  may  be  laid  aside.  §1.0.  The  (iuty  itself 
of  running  the  Christian  race.  <!>ll.  Which  is  set  before  us.  $1'2.  it  requires 
Strength  and  speed.    ^15,  l^atience,    §li,  15.  (H.)  Obsei-vatious. 


§1.  This  chapter  contains  an  appllcaiton  of  the 
doctrine  declared  and  confirmed  in  the  foregoing 
chapter.  Doctrine  and  use  was  the  apostle's  method. 
There  are  three  general  parts  of  the  chapter: 

1.  A  pressing  of  the  exhortation  in  hand  from  new 
additional  motives,  ver.  1 — 11. 

2.  A  direction  to  speciat  duties,  necessary  to  a  due 
compliance  with  the  general  exhortation,  ver.  12 — 17. 

3.  A  new  cogent  argument  to  the  same  purpose, 
taken  from  a  comparison  between  the  two  states  of 
the  law  and  gospel  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

His  whole  discourse  is  exceedingly  pregnant  with 
arguments  to  the  purpose  in  hand.  For  it  both  de- 
clares what  hath  been  the  lot  of  true  believers  in  all 
ages  from  the  beginning,  which  none  ought  now  to 
be  surprised  with;  what  was  the  way  of  their  deport- 
ment so  as  to  please  God;  and  what  was  the  success 
or  victory  which  they  obtained  in  the  end. 

Concerning  the  passage  in  hand  we  may  observe, 
that  the  whole  of  it  is  Jigurative,  consisting  in  sun- 
dry metaphors  drawn  from  the  comparison  of  our 
patient  abiding  in  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  and 
our  contending  for  a  prize.     The  exposition  of  the 

VOL.  IV.  3^ 


284  •        EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

words  is  not  so  much  to  be  taken  from  the  precise 
signification  of  them,  as  from  the  matter  plainly  in- 
tended in  them. 

§2.  (I.)  I  shall  open  the  words  in  the  order  wherein 
they  lie  in  the  text.  The  fust  thing  is,  the  motive  and 
encouragement  given  to  our  diligence  in  the  duty  ex- 
horted to.  "Seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about 
with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses;"  we  having  so  great 
a  cloud  of  witnesses  placed  about  us;  we,  we  also,  or 
even  we.  The  apostle  joins  himself  with  these  He- 
brews, not  only  the  better  to  insinuate  the  exhorta- 
tion into  their  minds,  by  engaging  himself  with  them, 
but  also  to  intimate  that  the  greatest  and  strongest  be- 
lievers stand  in  need  of  this  encouragement.  Wit- 
nesses are  of  two  sorts: 

1.  Such  as  behold  the  doing  of  any  thing,  and  give 
their  testimony  to  it  when  it  is  done.  For  in  the 
striving  and  contest  in  these  public  games  which  are 
alluded  to,  there  were  multitudes,  clouds  of  spectators, 
that  looked  on  to  encourage  those  that  contended  by 
their  applauses,  and  to  testify  of  their  success. 

So  is  it  with  us  in  our  patient  perseverance;  all  the 
saints  of  the  Old  Testament  do,  as  it  were,  stand  look- 
ing on  us  in  our  striving,  encouraging  us  to  our  duty, 
and  ready  to  testify  to  our  success  with  their  applaus- 
es. They  are  all  placed  about  us  to  this  end;  and  thus 
we  are  encompassed  with  them.  And  they  are  so  in 
the  scripture,  wherein  they  being  dead,  yet  see,  and 
speak,  and  bear  testimony.  The  scripture  hath  en- 
compassed us  with  them,  so  that  when  we  are  in  our 
trials,  whatever  way  we  look  in  it,  we  may  behold 
the  faces  of  some  or  other  of  these  worthies  looking 
on,  and  encouraging  us. 

2.  But  the  intention  of  the  apostle  may  be  better 
taken  from  his  general  scope,  which  requireth  that 


Vbr.  I.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  185 

the  witnesses  be  such  as  testify  to  what  is  to  be  done, 
and  the  grounds  of  truth  whereon  it  ought  to  be  done. 
For  he  intends,  especially  the  persons  whom  he  had 
before  enumerated;  and  that  which  they  testify  to  is 
this,  that  faith  will  carry  believers  safely  through  all 
that  they  may  be  called  to  do  or  suffer  in  the  profes- 
sion of  the  gospel.  They  all  jointly  testify  to  these 
things,  that  it  is  best  for  us  to  believe  and  obey  God, 
whatever  may  befall  us  in  our  so  doing.  Faith,  where 
it  is  true  and  sincere,  will  engage  those  in  whom  it  is, 
to  venture  on  the  greatest  hazards,  dangers,  and  mise- 
ries in  the  world,  rather  than  to  forego  their  profession, 
and  it  will  safely  carry  us  through  them  all.  Those 
who  testify  these  things  are  important  witnesses  in  this 
cause.  Testifying  to  the  folly  of  our  fears,  the  false- 
ness of  all  the  suggestions  of  unbeliefp  and  the  fraud  of 
Satan's  temptations;  as  also  to  the  excellency  of  the 
duties  whereto  we  are  called,  and  the  certainty  of 
our  success  in  them  through  believing. 

And  in  this  sense  do  I  take  the  witnesses  here  in- 
tended, both  because  of  the  scope  of  the  place,  and 
that  we  know  by  experience  of  what  kind  of  use  this 
testimony  is.  But  if  any  think  better  of  the  former 
sense,  I  shall  not  oppose  it.  For  in  the  whole  verse 
the  apostle  doth,  as  it  were,  represent  believers  in  their 
profession,  as  striving  for  victory,  as  upon  a  theatre. 
Christ  sits  at  the  head  of  it,  as  the  great  Jgonothetes, 
the  judge  and  rewarder  of  those  that  strive  lawfully, 
and  acquit  themselves  by  perseverance  to  the  end. 
All  the  saints  departed  divinely  testified  unto,  stand  on 
every  side,  looking  on,  and  encouraging  us  in  our 
course;  which  was  wont  to  be  a  mighty  provocation 
to  men,  to  put  forth  the  utmost  of  their  strength  in  the 
public  contests  for  victory.  Both  these  senses  are  con- 
sistent. 


28&  Exposition  of  the  chap.  \i. 

§3.  Of  these  witnesses,  there  is  said  to  be  a  cloudy 
"so  great  a  cloud.^^  A  cloud  in  Hebrew  is  ( 5j;)  a 
thick,  perplexed,  or  condensed  thing.  God  compares 
the  sins  of  his  people  to  a  cloud,  and  a  thick  cloud,  be- 
cause of  their  multitude,  the  vapor  of  them  being 
condensed  like  a  cloud,  Isa.  xliv,  22.  And  in  all  au- 
thors, a  thick  body  of  men  or  soldiers  compacted  to- 
gether, is  usually  called  a  cloud  of  them.  So  Homer, 
Iliad  iv,  {AixK  J?  ve(pog  siireloTeicSv)  with  him  followed  a 
cloud  of  footmen.  So  Livy,  (Peditum  eqiiitumque 
nuhes;)  a  cloud  of  horse  and  foot.  Wherefore,  "so 
great  a  cloud,"  is,  so  great  a  number,  or  multitude  at 
once  appearing  together  to  witness  in  this  cause.  What 
is  done  in  the  scripture  for  our  use,  is  immediately  done 
to  us;  and  what  is  spoken  in  it,  is  spoken  to  us,  see  ver.  5. 

§4  "Let  us  lay  aside  every  weight."  Those  who 
were  to  run  in  a  race,  freed  themselves  from  all  weight 
or  burden;  and  such  things  as  might  entangle  them, 
as  long  garments,  which,  cleaving  to  them,  should  be 
their  continual  hinderance.  "Laying  aside,''^  or  as  oth- 
ers render  the  word  (flj7ro6f/JLfvo/)  casting  away.  The 
word  is  once  used  in  the  New  Testament  with  respect 
to  a  natural  action;  Acts  vii,  58,  "The  witnesses  [wtt- 
fOevlo)  laid  down — that  is,  put  off  and  laid  down — 
their  clothe^;"  which  gives  light  into  the  metaphor. 
In  all  other  places  it  is  used  with  respect  to  vicious 
habits,  or  causes  of  sin,  which  we  are  to  part  with,  or 
cast  away  as  hinderances,  see  Ephes.  iv,  22 — 25,  Col. 
jii,  8;  James  i,  21;  IPet.  ii,  1.  Let  no  man  be  confi- 
dent in  himself;  he  hath  nothing  of  his  own  but  will 
obstruct  him  in  the  way  of  holy  ordinances.  Unless 
these  things  are  deposed,  we  cannot  run  the  race  with 
buccess. 

Th:.t  which  we  are  firet  to  lay  aside,  is  [cy-Aov  itavlu) 
"every  weight.'^    The  expresson  will   scarce  allow, 


Vee.  1.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  2S7 

that  this  should  be  confined  to  any  one  thing,  or  to 
things  of  one  kind.  No  more  seems  to  be  intended, 
but  that  we  part  with  evei^y  thing,  of  what  kind  soev- 
er it  be,  which  would  hinder  us  in  our  race.  And  so 
it  is  of  the  same  import  with  the  great  command  of 
self-denial,  which  our  Savior  gives  in  so  strict  charge 
to  all  who  take  on  them  the  profession  of  the  gospel, 
as  that  without  which  they  would  not  persevere  there- 
in, Matt,  xvi,  33,  34. 

But  because  there  is  another  great  gospel-rule  in  the 
same  case,  which  restrains  this  self  denial  to  one  sort 
of  things,  which  the  words  seem  to  point  to,  and  which 
also  falls  in  with  constant  experience,  it  may  have 
here  an  especial  regard.  And  this  rule  we  may  learn 
from  the  words  of  our  Savior  also;  Matt,  xix,  23,  24, 
"Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that 
a  rich  man  shall  hardly  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven;"  and  again,  "I  say  unto  you,  that  it  is  easier 
for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than 
for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Nothing  but  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  power  of 
God,  and  his  grace,  can  carry  a  rich  man  safely,  in  a 
time  of  suffering,  to  heaven  and  glory.  And  it  is  con- 
firmed by  the  apostle,  iTim.  vi,  9,  10,  "They  will 
be  rich,  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into  ma- 
ny foolish  and  hurt[ul  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  de- 
struction and  perdition,"  &c.  The  riches  of  this 
world,  and  the  love  of  them,  are  a  peculiar  obstruction 
to  constancy  in  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  on  many 
accounts.  These,  therefore,  seem  to  be  a  burden  hin- 
dering us  in  our  race  in  an  especial  manner. 

And  these  things  may  be .  called  '-'a  u'c/V/i/,"  not 
from  their  own  nature,  for  they  are  as  light  as  vanity; 
but  from  the  consequence  of  our  setting  our  hearts  and 
affections  upon  them.     A  man   may   burden  himself 


288  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

with  feathers  or  chaff,  as  well  as  with  things  in  them- 
selves more  ponderous. 

§5.  How  is  this  weight  to  be  laid  aside?  Suppose  the 
weight  to  be  the  good  things  of  this  life,  with  the  en- 
gagement of  our  affections  to  them;  then  this  laying 
them  aside  includes, 

1.  A  willingness,  a  readiness,  a  resolution,  if  called 
thereto,  to  part  with  them  cheerfully  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  and  the  gospel;  so  was  it  with  them  who  took 
joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods.  When  this  resolu- 
tion is  prevalent  in  the  mind,  the  soul  will  be  much  eased 
of  the  weight  of  those  things,  which  would  hinder  it 
in  its  race.  But  whilst  our  hearts  cleave  to  them  with 
an  undue  valuation,  whilst  we  cannot  attain  to  a  cheer- 
ful willingness  to  have  them  taken  from  us,  or  to  be 
taken  ourselves  from  them,  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel, 
they  will  be  an  intolerable  burden  to  us  in  our  course. 
For  hence  will  the  mind  dispute  every  dangerous  du- 
ty; hearken  to  every  sinful  contrivance  for  safety;  be 
surprised  out  of  its  own  power  by  every  appearing 
danger;  and  to  be  discomposed  in  its  frame  on  all  oc- 
casions.    Such  a  burden  can  no  man  carry  in  a  race. 

2.  Sedulous  and  daily  mortification  of  our  hearts 
and  affections  with  respect  to  all  things  of  this  nature, 
is  principally  prescribed  to  us  in  this  command  of 
"laying  them  aside  as  a  weight;"  this  will  take  out  of 
them  whatever  is  really  burdensome  to  us.  Mortifi- 
cation is  the  dissolution  of  the  conjunction,  or  league, 
that  is  between  our  affections  and  earthly  things, 
which  alone  gives  them  their  weight  and  cumbrance, 
see  Col.  iii,  1 — .'j.  Where  this  grace  and  duty  are  in 
their  due  exercise,  these  things  cannot  influence  the 
mind  into  any  disorder,  nor  make  it  unready  for  its 
race,  or  unwieldy  in  it. 


Vek.  i.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREXVS.  289 

3.  Continual  observation  of  what  difficulties  and 
hinderances  these  things  are  apt  to  cast  on  our  minds, 
either  in  our  general  course,  or  with  respect  to  partic- 
ular duties:  they  operate  in  our  minds  by  love,  fear, 
care,  delight,  contrivances;  with  a  multitude  of  per- 
plexing thoughts  about  them.  Unless  we  continually 
watch  against  all  these  ways  to  obviate  their  insinua- 
tions, we  shall  find  them  a  weight  and  burden  in  all 
parts  of  our  race.  In  short;  faith,  prayer,  mortifica- 
tion, an  high  valuation  of  things  invisible  and  eternal; 
a  continual  preference  of  them  to  all  things  present 
and  seen,  are  enjoined  in  this  expression — "laying 
aside  every  weight." 

§6.  The  other  thing  to  be  laid  aside  is,  (tv^v  uy^upliav 
iVTcepulcilov)  ^'the  sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset  us^  We 
may  be  satisfied,  that  no  bare  consideration  of  the 
word,  either  as  simple,  or  in  its  composition,  or  its 
use  in  other  authors,  will  of  itself  give  us  the  full  and 
proper  signification  of  it  in  this  place;  which  is  evi- 
dent to  me  from  hence,  in  that  those  who  have  made 
the  most  diligent  inquiry  into  it,  and  traced  it  through 
all  forms,  are  most  remote  from  agreeing  what  is,  or 
should  be  the  precise  signification  of  it;  but  close  their 
disquisitions  with  various  and  opposite  conjectures. 

I  shall  therefore  attend  to  other  scripture  directions 
and  rules  in  the  same  case,  with  the  experience  of  be- 
lievers, who  are  exercised  in  it,  and  the  use  of  those 
other  words  with  which  the  doubtful  expression  is 
joined. 

§7.  The  word  (aroli^^^yn)  to  laij  aside,  is  never  used 
in  scripture  with  respect  to  that  which  is  evil  and  sin- 
ful, but  with  regard  to  the  original  depravation  of 
nature;  and  the  vicious  habits  wherein  it  consists, 
with  the  effects  of  them.  And  why  it  should  have 
another  intention  here,  seeing  that  it  is  not  only  suit- 


>290  EXPOSITION  OF  THE'  Csap.  12. 

ed  to  the  analogy  of  faith,  but  most  agreeable  to  the 
design  of  the  apostle,  I  know  not.  And  the  truth  is, 
the  want  of  a  due  consideration  of  this  one  word,  with 
its  use,  which  expositors  have  universally  overlooked, 
hath  occasioned  many  fruitless  conjectures  on  the 
place. 

The  general  nature  of  the  evil  to  be  laid  aside,  is 
expressed  by  the  article  prefixed  (Tviva/xapl/av)  that  sin. 
Now  this,  if  there  be  nothing  to  limit  it,  is  to  be  taken 
in  its  largest,  most  usual,  and  most  eminent  significa- 
tion. And  that  this  is  the  original  depravation  of  our 
natures,  cannot  be  denied.  So  it  is  in  an  especial 
manner  stated,  Rom.  vii,  where  it  is  constantly  called 
by  that  name.  And  verse  17,  "the  sin  that  dwelleth 
in  wie,"  is  of  the  same  force  and  signification  with  "the 
sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset  m6;"  though  all  the  allu- 
sions are  various.  See  Rom.  vij,  20,  23. 

But  I  do  not  judge  that  original  sin  is  here  abso- 
lutely intended;  but  only  with  respect  to  an  especial 
way  of  exerting  its  efficacy,  and  to  a  certain  end; 
namely,  as  it  works  by  unbelief  to  obstruct  us,  and 
turn  us  away  from  the  profession  of  the  gospel.  And 
so  the  instruction  falls  in  with  the  rule  given  us  in  the 
same  case  in  other  places  of  the  epistle,  as  chap,  iii, 
12,  &c.  The  sin,  therefore,  intended  is  in-dwelling 
sin  which,  with  respect  to  the  profession  of  the  gospel, 
and  permanency  therein  with  patience,  worketh  by 
unbelief,  whereby  it  exposeth  us  to  all  sorts  of  tempt ♦ 
ations,  giv^es  advantage  to  all  weakening,  discouraging 
considerations,  still  aiming  to  make  us  faint,  and  at 
length  to  depart  from  the  living  God. 

These  things  being  fixed,  it  is  all  one  whether  we 
interpret  {eviispialcilov)  "that  which  doth  easily  beset  tis," 
it  being  in  a  readiness  always  to  do  so;  or,  "that  which 
doth  easily  expose  its  to  evil;''  which  are  the  two 


Ver.  K  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  291 

senses  of  the  word,  with  any  probability,  contended 
for,     B^th  come  to  the  same. 

§8.  The  sin  is  that  which  hath  an  easy  access  to 
our  minds  to  hinder  us  in  our  race,  or  doth  easily  ex- 
pose us  to  danger,  by  the  advantage  it  hath  to  these 
ends;  for,  it  is  always  present  with  us,  and  so  is  never 
wanting  to  any  favonible  occasion.  It  stands  in  need 
of  no  help  from  outward  advantages  to  attempt  our 
minds;  dwelling  in  us,  abiding  with  us,  cleaving  to  us, 
it  is  always  ready  to  clog,  to  hinder  and  disturb  us. 
Doth  any  difficulty  or  danger  appear  in  the  way?  it 
is  at  hand  to  cry,  ''Spare  thyself,"  working  by  fear. 
Is  any  sinful  compliance  proposed  to  us?  it  is  ready 
to  argue  for  its  embrace ment,  working  by  carnal  wis- 
dom. Doth  the  weariness  of  the  flesh  decline  perse- 
verance in  necessary  duties?  it  wants  not  arguments 
to  promote  its  inclinations,  working  by  the  disposi- 
tions of  remaining  enmity  and  vanity.  Doth  the  whole 
matter  and  cause  of  our  profession  come  into  question, 
as  in  a  time  of  severe  persecution?  it  is  ready  to  set  all 
its  engines  on  work  for  our  ruin;  fear  of  danger,  love 
of  things  present,  hopes  of  recovery,  reserves  for  a  bet- 
ter season,  the  examples  of  others  esteemed  good  and 
wise,  shall  all  be  put  into  the  hands  of  unbelief,  to  be 
managed  against  faith,  patience,  constancy,  and  perse- 
verance, and  it  hath  a  remaining  interest  in  all  the  fac- 
ulties of  our  souls. 

§9  The  last  inquiry  is,  how  we  may  lay  it  aside.^ 
ar  put  it  from  us?  One  learned  man  thinks  it  a  suffi- 
cient reason  to  prove,  that  the  sin  of  nature  is  not  here 
intended,  because  we  cannot  lay  that  aside,  whilst  we 
are  in  this  life.  B.it  I  have  shewed  that  the  word 
(n'Toli^vilJ.i)  is  never  used  when  a  duty  is  enjoined  by  it, 
but  it  is  with  resp^xt  to  this  sin.     Wherefore, 

1 .  We  are  to  lay  it  -aside  absolutely  and  universal- 

voL.  IV.  37 


292  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1^. 

ly,  as  to  design  and  endeavor.  We  cannot  in  thift 
life  attain  to  perfection  in  holiness,  yet  this  is  what  we 
are  to  endeavor  all  the  days  of  our  lives;  2  Cor.  vii,  1, 
"Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  fiithiness  of  flesh  and 
spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 

2.  We  ought  actually  to  lay  it  aside  in  such  a 
measure  and  degree,  as  that  it  may  not  be  a  prevalent 
hinderance  to  us,  in  any  of  the  duties  of  Christian 
obedience;  for  it  may  have  various  degrees  of  power 
and  efficacy  according  as  it  is  neglected  or  continually 
mortified;  and  it  oftentimes  takes  advantage  by  a  con- 
junction with  outward  temptations  to  our  unspeakable 
prejudice.  And  if  the  mortification  of  it  be  neglected 
in  any  one  branch,  or  any  of  its  exertions,  if  any  one 
sin  be  indulged,  it  will  ruin  all  strength  and  resolution 
for  sufferings  on  account  of  the  gospel. 

The  way  whereby  it  principally  manifests  itself,  is, 
by  the  clogs  and  hinderances,  which  it  puts  upon  us 
in  the  constant  course  of  our  obedience.  Hence  many 
think,  that — whereas  it  is  said  '-easily  to  beset  us"  to 
our  hinderance — an  allusion  is  taken  from  a  long  gar- 
ment, which  if  a  man  wear  in  the  running  of  a  race, 
it  will  hinder  and  entangle  him,  and  sometimes  cast 
him  to  the  ground;  so  that,  unless  he  cast  it  away,  he 
can  have  no  success  in  his  race. 

§10.  The  last  thing  expressed,  is  the  duty  itself  di- 
rected and  exhorted  to;  "Let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us."  What  is  the  duty  in  gen- 
eral intended  hath  been  sufficiently  declared;  but 
whereas  the  terms  wherein  it  is  expressed,  all  but  that 
word  ^^wltli  patience,^^  are  metaphorical,  they  must  be 
opened. 

That  with  respect  whereto  we  are  exhorted,  is  (tov 
U'yc::vcs,  certamen)  a  strife  or  covflid.  It  is  used  for 
any  thing,  work,  or  exercise,  about  which  there  is  a 


Ver.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  293 

striving  or  contending  to  the  utmost  of  men's  abilities. 
Such  as  were  used  when  men  contended  for  mastery 
and  victory  in  the  Olympic  games;  and  so  it  is  applied 
to  all  earnest  spiritual  endeavors  in  any  kind.  Phil,  i, 
30;  Col  ii,  1;  1  Thes.  ii,  2;  1  Tim.  vi,  12;  2  Tim.  iv,  7. 
Here  the  sense  of  the  word  is  restrained  to  the  partic- 
ular instance  of  a  race,  because  we  are  enjoined  to 
run  it.  But  it  is  such  a  race  as  is  for  a  victory,  for 
our  lives  and  souls,  wherein  the  utmost  of  our  strength 
and  diligence  is  to  be  put  forth.  It  is  not  merely 
ciirsus,  but  ceriamen. 

1.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  difficulty  whereto  the  ut- 
most exercise  of  our  spiritual  strength  is  required; 
contending  with  all  our  might  must  be  in  it;  without 
which  all  expectation  of  success  in  a  race  for  mastery 
is  vain  and  foolish.  Hence  the  apostle  prescribes,  as  a 
means  of  it,  that  we  be  'strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in 
the  power  of  his  might,"  Eph.  vi,  10;  giving  us  his 
own  example  in  a  most  eminent  manner,  1  Cor.  ix, 
24—27. 

2.  It  is  such  a  race,  as  wherein  there  is  the  judge  or 
(/5pa(3fu1v)?)  the  rewarder  of  them  who  overcome,  even 
Christ  himself;  and  there  is  the  reward  proposed,  which, 
as  the  apostle  tells  us,  is  an  incorruptible  crown  of  glo- 
ry, and  there  are  encouraging  spectators,  even  all  the 
holy  angels  above,  and  the  church  below. 

It  being  a  race,  it  is  of  no  advantage  for  any  one  to 
begin  or  make  an  entrance  into  it.  Every  one  knows 
that  all  is  lost  in  a  race  where  a  man  doth  not  hold  out 
to  the  end. 

§11.  This  race  is  said  to  be  "set  before  us."  It  is 
not  what  we  fall  into  by  chance,  it  is  not  of  our  own 
choice  or  project;  and  he  that  sets  it  before  us  is  Christ 
himself,  who  calls  us  to  faith  and  obedience.  He  hath 
determined  what  shall  be  the  way  of  obedience,  limit- 


^94  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  l^. 

ing  the  bounds  of  it,  and  ordering  the  whole  course 
with  all  the  duties  belonging  to  it.  It  is  by  him  pra- 
posed  to  us,  it  is  set  before  us  in  the  gospel;  thereui  he 
declares  its  whole  nature,  and  all  the  circumstances  that 
belong  to  it.  He  gives  us  a  full  prospect  of  ail  the  duties 
required  in  it,  and  all  the  difficulties  we  shall  meet  with. 
He  hides  nothing  from  us,  especially  that  of  bearing 
the  cross,  that  our  own  entrance  into  it  may  be  an  act 
of  our  own  choice  and  judgment.  Whatever,  there- 
fore, we  meet  with  in  it,  we  have  no  cause  of  tergivisa- 
tion  or  complaint.  This  is  what  believers  both  reprove 
and  refresh  themselves  with,  when  at  any  time  they 
fall  into  tribulation  for  the  gospel.  Why  do  I  faint? 
Why  do  I  recoil?  Huth  he  deceived  me,  who  calls 
me  to  follow  him  in  obedience?  Did  he  hide  any 
thing  from  me?  Did  he  not  set  these  tribulations  be- 
fore me,  as  part  of  the  race  that  I  was  to  run?  So 
they  argue  themselves  into  an  holy  acquiescency  in 
his  wisdom  and  will.  Hence  the  apostle  affirms,  that 
he  did  not  fight  uncertainly,  as  men  beating  the  air^ 
because  he  had  an  assured  path  and  course  set  before 
him.  ''This  is  that  which  Christ  hath  appointed  for 
me;  this  is  that  which  at  my  first  call  he  proposed  to 
me,  and  set  before  nie,"  are  soul  quieting  considera^ 
tions. 

§12.  Our  whole  evangelical  obedience  being  com- 
pared to  a  race,  our  performance  of  it  is  expressed  by 
^'running"  for  which  there  are  two  things  required — 
strength  and  speed.  And  the  things  required  to  our 
Christian  race  are — strength  in  grace,  and  diligence 
with  exercise.  The  due  performance  of  gospel  odedi- 
ence,  especially  in  the  times  of  trial  and  temptation,  is 
not  a  thing  of  course,  is  not  to  be  attended  in  an  ordi- 
nary manner:  spiritual  strength  put  forth  in  our  utmost 
diligence  is  required. 


Ver.  I.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  205 

Seeing,  therefore,  that  we  are  called  to  this  exercise 
we  should  greatly  consider  the  things  which  may  ena- 
ble us  for  it,  that  we  may  so  run  as  to  obtain.  But  our 
weakness  through  our  want  of  improving  the  princi* 
pies  of  spiritual  life,  and  our  sloth  in  the  exercise  of 
gi'ace,  for  the  most  part,  cannot  be  sufficiently  bewaik 
ed;  and  I  am  sure  they  are  inconsistent  with  this  apos- 
tolic exhortation. 

§13.  ''With  patience."  Patience  is  either  a  quiet 
submissive  suffering  of  evil  things,  or  a  quiet  waiting 
for  good  things  future  with  perseverance  and  continu- 
ance, to  the  conquest  of  the  one,  or  the  enjoyment  of 
the  other.  He  who  suffereth  quietly,  submissively, 
with  content  and  satisftiction,  what  he  is  called  to  suffer 
for  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  doth  also  quietly  wait 
for  the  accomplishment  of  the  promises  made  to  them 
who  so  suffer,  which  are  great  and  many.  The  race 
is  long,  and  of  more  than  ordinary  continuance.  We 
shall  be  sure  to  meet  with  difficulties,  oppositions,  and 
temptations  in  this  race;  these  things  will  solicit  us  to 
desist,  and  give  over  our  race.  With  respect  to  them, 
all  patience  is  prescribed  to  us;  which  when  it  hath  its 
perfect  work,  will  secure  us  in  them  all.  See  on  chap.^ 
vi,  12—15. 

§14.  And  as  to  our  own  instruction  we  may  hence 
observe, 

1.  We  are  diligently  to  consider  our  own  concern- 
ment in  all  scripture  examples,  and  what  we  are  in- 
structed by  them.  This  inference  the  apostie  makes 
from  the  collection  he  had  before  made  to  them. 
"Even  we  also." 

2.  God  hath  not  only  made  provision,  but  a  phnii- 
ful  provision  in  the  scripture  for  the  strengthening  of 

our  faith,  and  our  encouragement  to  duty.     "A  cloucj 
of  witnesses." 


296  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CiiAP.  12. 

3.  It  is  an  honor  that  God  puts  on  his  saints  depart- 
ed, especially  such  as  suffered  and  died  for  the  truth, 
that  even  after  their  death  they  shall  be  witnesses  to 
faith  and  obedience  in  all  generations.  They  still  con- 
tinue, in  a  sense,  to  be  martyrs,  bearing  a  noble  testi- 
mony. 

4.  To  faint  in  our  profession,  whilst  we  are  encom- 
passed with  such  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  is  a  great  aggra- 
vation of  our  sin. 

§15.  And  we  may  observe  farther; 

1.  That  the  universal  mortification  of  sin  is  the  best 
preparative,  preservative,  and  security,  for  a  steady  pro- 
fession in  a  time  of  trial.  Whatever  may  be  our  pur- 
poses, resolutions,  and  contrivances,  if  unmortified  sin 
in  any  prevalent  degree,  (as  love  of  the  world,  fear  of 
men,  sensual  inclinations  to  make  provision  for  the 
flesh)  abide  in  us,  we  shall  never  be  able  to  hold  out  in 
our  race  to  the  end. 

2.  Whereas  the  nature  of  this  sin  at  such  seasons  is 
to  work  by  unbelief  towards  a  departure  from  the  liv- 
ing God,  or  the  relinquishment  of  the  gospel,  we  ought 
to  be  continually  on  our  watch  against  it;  and  no  small 
part  of  our  spiritual  wisdom  consists  in  the  discovery 
of  its  deceitful  working,  which  the  apostle  gives  us  se- 
vere caution  about,  chap.  iii. 

3.  The  reward  proposed  to  be  obtained  at  the  end 
of  this  race,  is  every  way  worthy  of  all  our  pains,  dili- 
gence, and  patience. 

VERSE  2, 
Looking  unto  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith^  who,  for 
the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross,  desfiising 
the   shamey  and  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne 
of  God. 

%.  The  design  and  connexion.  §2.  Looking'  to  Jesus,  fwhat,  §3.  The  autlioc 
and  finisher  of  faith.  §4.  The  joy,  what;  and  how  set  before  him  J5.  His  en- 
during the  cross  and  despising  the  shame,  §6.  The  consequent  thereof.  ;§?• 
Observations. 


Ver.  S.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  397 

§1.  I  HE  apostle  here  riseth  to  the  highest  encour- 
agement with  respect  to  the  same  duty,  whereot  we 
are  capable  Hitherto  he  hath  proposed  to  us  their 
example  who  had  professed  the  same  faith  with  our- 
selves; now,  he  proposeth  him  who  is  the  "author  and 
finisher"  of  that  faith  in  us  all.  His  person  is  proposed 
to  us  as  a  ground  of  hope  and  exp('ctation;  whilst  he 
is  at  the  same  time  an  universal  example  of  faith  and 
obedience  in  every  kind. 

§2.  The  peculiar  prescribed  manner  of  our  respect 
to  him,  is  ^-Looking  to  him;^^  and  being  put  in  the 
present  tense,  a  continual  act  is  intended.  In  all  that 
we  do  in  our  profession  and  obedience,  we  are  con- 
stantly to  be  looking  to  Christ.  ''Looking,^'  in  the 
scripture,  when  it  respects  God  or  Christ,  denotes  an 
act  o^ faith  or  trust,  with  hope  and  expectation.  It  is 
not  a  mere  act  of  the  understanding,  in  consideration 
of  what  w^e  look  on;  but  it  is  an  act  of  the  whole  soul 
in  faith  and  trust;  see  Psalm  xxxiv,  4 — 6:  Isa.  xlv,  22. 
Wberefore,  the  Lord  Jesus  is  not  proposed  to  us  as  a 
mere  example  to  be  considered,  but  as  him  also  in 
whom  we  [)lace  our  faith,  trust,  and  confidence,  with 
all  our  expectation  of  success  in  our  Christian  coui^se; 
without  this  we  shall  have  no  benefit  by  his  example. 
And  the  word  here  used  (uCpopuivle^)  so  expresseth  a 
looking  to  him,  as  to  include  a  looking  off  from  all 
other  things  which  might  be  discouragements  to  us. 
Such  are  the  oppositions,  persecutions,  mockings.  evil 
examples  of  apostates,  &c.  Nothing  will  divert  our 
minds  from  discouraging  views  ot  tht-se  thin;.;s  but 
faith  and  trust  in  Christ.  Look  not  to  these  thinf^s  in 
times  of  sutVei  ing,  but  look  to  Christ. 

The  name  "Jes«s"  minds  us  of  him  as  a  Savior 
and  a  sufferer,  tiie  iormer  by  the  signification  of  it, 


^08  ifeXPOSlTiON  OF  THE  Cha^.  it. 

Matt,  i,  21;  the  latter,  in  that  it  was  that  name  alone 
whereby  he  was  known  and  called  in  all  his  suffer- 
ings. Look  to  him  as  he  was  Jesus,  that  is,  both  the 
Qnly  Savior  and  the  greatest  sufferer. 

§S.  '"The  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith."  He 
by  his  death  and  obedience  procured  this  grace  for  us. 
It  is  given  to  us  on  his  account,  Phil,  i,  29.  And  he 
prays  that  we  may  receive  it,  John  xvii,  19,  20;  and 
he  works  it  in  us,  or  bestow's  it  on  us  by  his  Spirit,  in 
the  beginning  and  all  the  increases  of  it,  from  first  to 
last.  Hence  his  disciples  prayed  to  him,  "Lord  in- 
crease our  faith/'  Luke  xvii,  5.  So  he  is  the  author 
or  beginner  of  our  faith,  in  the  efficacious  'working  of 
it  in  our  hearts  by  his  Spirit;  and  the  finisher  of  it 
in  all  its  effects,  in  liberty,  peace,  and  joy;  and  all 
the  fruits  of  it  in  obedience;  for  '^without  him  we  can 
do  nothing."  Nor  is  it  faith  objectively  that  the  apos- 
tle treats  of,  the  faith  that  is  revealed,  but  that  which 
is  in  the  hearts  of  believers.  And  he  is  said  to  be  the 
author  and  finisher  of  the  faith  treated  of  in  the  fore- 
going chapter;  in  them  that  believed  Under  the  Old 
Testament  as  well  as  ia  themselves. 

§4.  The  next  thing  in  the  words  is,  the  ground  and 
reason  whereon  Jesus  did  and  suffered  the  things, 
wherein  he  is  proposed  as  our  example  for  our  encour- 
agement; and  this  v/as  '-for  the  joy  that  was  set  be- 
fore him." 

The  ambiguous  signification  of  the  preposition  [uv'i) 
before,  hath  given  occasion  to  a  peculiar  interpreta- 
tion of  the  words.  For  most  commonly  it  signifies, 
in  the  stead  of;  one  thing  for  another.  It  denotes 
here  the  fnal  moving  cause  in  the  mind  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  doing  what  he  did.  He  did  it  on  ac 
count  of  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him. 

Joy,  is  taken  for  the  things  in  which  he  rejoiced, 
and  on  the  account  of  which  he  endured  the  cross 


Ver.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  g§0 

and  despised  the  shame,  viz.  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
accomplishment  of  all  the  councils  of  divine  wisdom 
and  grace,  and  the  salvation  of  all  the  elect.  These 
were  the  two  things  that  the  mind  of  Christ  valued 
above  life,  honor,  reputation,  and  all  that  was  dear  to 
him. 

How  was  this  joy  set  before  him?  By  God  the  Fa- 
ther, the  sovereign  Lord  of  this  whole  affair.  And 
respect  may  be  had  to  the  eternal  constitution  of  God, 
the  covenant  of  redemption,  between  the  Father  and 
the  Son;  all  the  promises,  prophecies,  and  predictions 
that  were  given  out  by  divine  revelation  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world.  And  his  faith  of  its  accom- 
plishment against  oppositions,  and  under  all  his  suffer- 
ings, is  illustriously  expressed,  Isa.  1,  6 — 9. 

§5.  "He  endured  the  cross  and  despised  the  shame." 
Pain  and  shame  are  the  two  constituent  parts  of  all 
outward  sufferings;  and  they  were  both  eminent  in 
the  death  of  the  cross.  No  death  more  lingering, 
painful,  and  cruel;  none  so  shameful,  wherein  he  that 
suffered  was  in  his  dying  hours  exposed  publicly  to 
the  scorn,  contempt,  and  insults  of  the  worst  of  men. 
"//e  endured  it;'^  he  patiently  endured  it,  as  the  word 
signifies.  The  invincible  patience  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  enduring  the  cross,  was  manifested  not  only 
in  the  holy  com.posure  of  his  soul  in  all  his  sufferings 
to  the  last  breath,  expressed  by  the  prophet,  Isa.  liii, 
7,  but  in  this  also,  that  during  his  torments,  being  so 
unjustly,  so  ungratefully,  so  villanously  dealt  with  by 
the  Jews;  he  neither  reviled,  reproached,  nor  threat- 
ened them  with  that  vengeance  and  destruction  which 
it  was  in  his  power  to  bring  upon  them  every  mo- 
ment; but  he  pitied  them,  and  prayed  for  them  to  the 
last,  that  if  it  were  possible  their  sin  might  be  forgiven, 
Luke  xxiii,  34;  1  Pet.  ii,  21 — 23.     Never  was  any 

VOL.  IV.  38 


300  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

such  example  of  patient  enduring  giv^en  in  the  world, 
before  nor  since;  nor  can  any  equal  to  it  be  given  in 
human  nature.  To  invincible  patience  he  added  he- 
roic magnanimity;  {aux^vvig  neilct0povvi(Tui)  ^'despising 
the  shame"  ignominy,  contempt;  it  denotes  shame 
from  reproach  and  scorn,  such  as  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
his  df  ath  was  exposed  to;  an  ignominy  that  the  world, 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  long  made  use  of  to  counte- 
nance themselves  in  their  unbelief.  This  he  despised, 
that  is,  he  did  not  faint  because  of  it;  he  valued  it  not, 
in  comparison  of  the  blessed  and  glorious  effect  of  his 
sufferings,  which  was  always  in  his  eye. 

The  blessed  frame  of  mind  in  our  Lord  Jesus  in  all 
his  sufferings  is  that  which  the  apostle  proposeth  for 
bui  encouragememt,  and  to  our  imitation.  And  it  is 
that  which  contains  the  exercise  of  all  grace,  faith, 
love,  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  zeal  for  his  glory, 
and  compassion  for  the  souls  of  men  in  their  highest 
degree. 

^6.  "And  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne 
of  God;"  in  equal  authority,  glory,  and  power  with 
God,  in  the  rule  and  government  of  all.  For  the 
meaning  of  the  words,  see  the  Exposition  on  chap, 
i,  3;  chap  viii,  I. 

On  the  wh;>le,  we  have  an  exact  delineation  of  our 
Christian  course  in  a  time  of  persecution; — in  the  bles- 
sed example  oi  it,  the  sufferings  of  Christ;  the  assured 
consequent  of  it,  eternal  glory;  in  a  direction  for  the 
right  discharge  of  our  duty;  which  is  the  exercise  of 
faith  on  Christ  himself  for  assistance,  as  a  sufferer  and 
a  Savior.  And  how  great  is  our  encouragement  from 
the  joy  and  glory  that  are  set  before  us  as  the  issue  of 
all! 

§7.  Hence  observe: 

i.  The  foundation  of  our  stability  in  faith  and  gos- 
pel profession,  in  times  of  trial  and  suffering,  is  a  con- 


Ver.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  3OI 

stant  looking  to  Christ,  witli  expectation  of  aid  and 
assistance;  having  encouraged  us  to  our  duty  by  his 
example.  Nor  shall  we  endure  any  longer  than 
whilst  the  eye  of  our  faith  is  lixcd  on  him.  From 
him  alone  do  we  derive  our  refreshments  in  all  our 
trials. 

2.  It  is  a  mighty  encouragement  to  constancy  and 
perseverance  m  believing,  that  he  in  whom  we  believe 
is  tiie  iiuthor  andfinisher  of  our  faith.  He  both  begins 
it  in  us,  and  carries  it  on  to  perfection. 

3.  The  exercise  of  faith  on  Christ  to  enable  us  to 
persevere  under  difficulties  and  persecutions,  respects 
him  as  a  Savior  and  a  sufferer,  as  the  author  and 
Unisher  of  faith  itself. 

Herein  is  the  L  >rd  Christ  our  great  example,m  that 
he  was  influenced  in  all  he  did  and  suffered  by  a  con- 
tinual respect  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of 
the  church.     And, 

5.  If  we  duly  propose  these  things  to  ourselves  in 
all  our  sufferings,  as  they- are  set  before  us  in  the  scrip- 
ture, we  shall  not  faint  under  them,  nor  be  weary  of 
them. 

6.  This  manner  of  Christ's  enduring  the  cross  ought 
to  be  continually  before  us,  that  we  may  glorify  God 
in  conformity  thereto,  according  to  the  measure  of  our 
attainments,  when  we  are  called  to  sufferings.  If  we 
can  see  the  beauty  and  glory   of  it,  we  are  safe. 

7.'  If  he  went  victoriously  through  his  suffering,  we 
also  maybe  victorious  through  his  aid,  who  is  the  au- 
and  finisher  of  our  faith.     And, 

8.  We  have  the  highest  instance  that  faith  can  con- 
quer both  fear  and  shame.     Wherefore, 

9.  We  should  neither  think  strange  of  them,  nor 
fear  them  on  account  of  our  profession  of  the  gospel, 
seeing  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  gone  before  in  his  conflict 
with  them  and  conquest  over  them. 


302  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ckap.  12. 


VERSE  S. 

For  consider  him  thai  endureth  such  contradiction  of  sinner* 
against  himself.,  lest  ye  be  wearied  and  faint  in  your  minds. 

ft.  The  same  argument  continued,  with  a  special  improvement  of  it.  §2.  What 
we  are  cautioned  about,  against  being  weaiy  or  faint.  §3,  4.  The  sufteriiig 
example  of  Christ  proposed.    ^5,6.  Observations. 

§1.  I  HE  apostle  carries  on  the  same  argument,  with 
respect  to  an  especial  improvement  of  it  in  this  verse. 
(r«p) /or,  renders  not  a  reason  of  what  was  spoken  be- 
fore, but  denotes  a  progress  to  an  especial  motive  to  the 
duty  exhorted  to.  Some  copies  read  (av)  therefore^ 
in  a  progressive  exhortation. 

The  peculiar  manner  of  the  respect  of  faith  to  Christ 
is  expressed  by  {a.'jct.'KoyKTua^e)  consider,  compare  things 
by  their  due  proportion  one  to  another.  Whereas 
mention  is  made  of  him  who  endured,  and  of  what  he 
endured,  we  must  inquire  where  the  emphasis  lies.  If 
he  suffered,  if  he  endured  such  things,  why  should  not 
we  do  so  also?  For  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  author 
and  finisher  our  faith.  Compute  thus  with  yourselves, 
that  if  he,  though  being  so  great,  so  excellent,  so  infi- 
nitely exalted  above  us,  yet  endured  such  contradiction 
of  sinners,  ought  we  not  to  do  so  if  called  to  it?  Or 
else  he  calls  us  to  the  consideration  of  'iji:hat  he  suffered 
in  particular,  as  to  the  contradiction  of  sinners;  such, 
so  great  contradiction,  by  comparing  our  own  with 
them.  And  this  sense  the  following  words  incline  to; 
"for  you  have  not  yet  resisted  unto  blood,"  as  he  did. 

But  although  these  things  are  thus  distinguished,  yet 
are  they  not  to  be  divided.  Both  the  person  of  Christy 
and  what  he  suffered,  are  proposed  to  our  diligent 
consideration,  and  our  impartial  estimate  of  them, 
with  respect  to  ourselves  and  our  sufferings. 


Ver.  S.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  303 

§2.  "Lest  ye  be  wearied;"  the  word  (v<«/xvw)  signi- 
fies io  labor,  so  as  to  bring  on  weajiness;  and  to  be 
sick,  which  also  is  accompanied  with  weariness.  The 
apostle  treating  before  ot"  a  race,  he  may  easily  be  sup- 
posed to  have  respect  to  such  as  fainted  therein  througli 
weariness.  But  the  sense  of  the  words  is  fully  explain- 
ed in  Rev.  ii,  3,  "Thou  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience, 
and  for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast  not 
fainted."  To  abide  and  persevere  in  suffering  and 
labor  for  the  name  of  Cluist,  is,  "not  to  faint,"  or  be 
wearied;  wherefore  to  be  wearied  in  this  case,  is  to  be 
so  pressed  and  discouraged  with  the  greatness  or  length 
of  difficulties  and  trials,  as  to  draw  back,  partially  or 
totally,  from  the  profession  of  the  gospel.  This  I 
judge  to  be  the  frame  of  mind  here  cautioned  against, 
viz.  the  want  of  life,  vigor,  and  cheerfulness  in  profes- 
sion, tending  to  a  relinquishment  of  it;  (rvj  4/u%ti  fxAu- 
es-Sfij/,  animo  defici  et  concidere)  to  have  the  strength 
and  vigor  of  the  mind  dissolved,  so  as  to  faint  and  fall; 
and  it  consists  principally  in  a  remission  of  the  due 
acting  of  faith  by  all  graces,  and  in  all  duties.  It  is 
faith  that  stirs  up  and  engageth  spiritual  courage,  reso- 
lution, patience,  perseverance,  prayer,  and  all  preserv- 
ing graces  and  duties;  and  on  this  failing  our  spiritual 
strength  is  dissolved,  and  we  wax  weary. 

§3.  And  as  to  his  sufferings,  he  proposeth  the  con- 
sideration of  them  in  one  special  instance,  and  therein 
every  word  is  emphatical; — it  was  contradiction  he 
underwent; — and  it  was  such,  or  so  great,  that  it  is 
not  easy  to  be  apprehended; — it  was  the  contiadiction 
of  sinners; — and  it  was  against  /iMw^e//' immediately. 

1.  He  endured  contradiction.  The  word  is  used  fot* 
any  kind  of  opposition  in  things  as  well  as  xi'ords,  and 
so  may  include  the  whole  suOciings  of  Christ  from 
menj  but  no  doubt  the  apostle  hath  a  peculiar  respect 


304  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

to  the  revilings  and  reproaches  which  he  underwent; 
such  as,  "Let  the  king  of  Israel  come  down  from  the 
cross,  and  we  will  believe;  he  saved  others,  himself  he 
cannot  save."     And, 

2.  The  apostle  intimates  the  severity  and  cruelty  of 
these  contradictions;  and  herein  he  refers  us  to  the 
whole  story  of  what  was  past  at  his  death.  Such  con- 
tradiction, so  bitter,  so  severe,  so  cruel;  whatever  the 
malicious  wits  of  men.  or  suggestions  of  Satan,  could 
invent  or  broach;  whatever  was  venomous  and  evil, 
was  cast  upon  him. 

3.  It  was  the  contradiction  o^  sinners;  that  is,  such 
as  gave  no  bounds  to  their  wrath  and  malice.  But 
withal  the  apostle  seems  to  reflect  on  them,  as  to  their 
staie  and  condition:  for  it  w\as  the  priests,  the  scribes 
and  pharisees,  who  from  first  to  last  managed  this  con- 
tradiction; and  these  all  boast,  d  themselves  to  be  just 
and  righteous:  but  tliey  deceived  themselves;  they  were 
sinners,  the  worst  of  sinners. 

4.  It  was  contradiction  against  /ii?nseZ/*immediately, 
and,  as  it  were,  to  his  face.  There  is  an  emphasis  in 
that  expression  {eig  savTov)  against  himself  in  person; 
so  they  told  him  openly  to  his  face,  that  he  had  a 
devil,  that  he  was  a  seducer,  &c.  Ail  this  he  patiently 
endured. 

§4.  The  consideration  of  the  Lord  Christ's  patient 
enduring  these  contradictions  against  himself,  is  pro- 
posed as  the  means  to  preserve  us  from  being  "weary 
and  fainting  in  our  minds" — by  way  o^  motive;  for  if 
he  who  in  his  own  person  was  infinitely  above  all  op- 
position of  sinners,  as  the  apostle  states  the  case,  Phil, 
ii,  5 — S;  yet  for  our  sakes  would  undergo  all;  there  is 
all  the  reason  in  the  world  why  for  his  sake  we  should 
submit  to  our  portion  in  thern.  By  way  of  precedent 
and  example;  as  it  is  urged  by  Peter,  1  Epist.  ii,21,  22. 


Veh.  S.  epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  305 

By  way  of  deriving  poxccr  from  him;  for  tlie  due 
consideration  of  him  herein  will  work  a  conformity 
in  our  minds  and  souls  to  him  in  his  sufferings,  which 
will  assuredly  preserve  us  Irom  faintii-g, 
§5.     Observe  hence: 

1.  Such  things  may  hefall  us  in  the  way  of  our 
profession,  as  are  in  themselves  apt  to  weary  and  bur- 
den us.  so  as  to  solicit  our  minds  to  a  relinquishment 
of  them. 

2.  When  we  begin  to  be  heartless,  desponding,  and 
weaiy  of  our  suffeiings,  it  is  a  dangerous  disposition 
of  mind,  leaning  towards  a  defection  from  the  gospel. 
And, 

3.  We  ought  to  watch  against  nothing  more  dili- 
gently, than  the  insensible,  gradual  prevailing  of  such 
a  frame,  if  we  mean  to  be  faithful  to  the  end. 

4.  If  we  design  perseverance  in  a  time  of  trouble 
and  persecution,  it  is  both  our  wisdom  and  our  duty 
to  keep  up  faith  to  a  vigorous  exercise;  the  want  of 
this  bespeaks  a  fainting  in  our  minds.  This  is  like 
the  hands  of  Moses  in  the  battle  against  Amalek. 

§6.    And  we  may  fai  tlier  observe^ 

1.  That  the  malicious  contradiction  of  wicked 
priests,  scribes,  and  pharisees,  against  the  truth,  and  its 
professors,  is  peculiarly  suited  to  make  them  faint,  if 
not  opposed  by  vigorous  actings  of  faith  in  Christ,  and 
a  due  consideration  of  his  sufferings  in  the  same  kind. 

2.  Whoever  they  are,  that,  by  their  contradictions 
to  the  truth,  and  them  that  profess  it,  stir  up  persecu- 
tion, let  them  pretend  what  Ihey  will  of  righteousness, 
they  are  sinners,  and  that  to  a  very  dangerous  degree. 

3.  If  our  minds  grow  weak,  through  a  remission 
of  the  vigorous  actings  of  faith,  in  a  time  of  great  con- 
tradiction to  our  profession,  they  will  quickly  grow 
weanj,  so  as  to  give  over,  if  not  timely  recovered. 


306  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

4.  The  constant  consideration  of  Christ  in  his  suf- 
ferings is  the  best  means  to  keep  up  faith  to  its  due 
©Kercise  in  all  times  of  trial. 


VERSE  4. 

Ye  have  not  yet  resisted  unto  blood  striving  against  sin. 

§1.  Connexion  of  the  words.    §2.  The  party  to  be  opposed,  sin,    §3.  The  way 
by  resisting  and  striving.     J4,  5.  Observations. 

§1.  Havi-ng  proposed  the  great  example  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  given  directions  to  the  improvement  of  it, 
the  apostle  proceeds  to  more  general  arguments  for  the 
confirmation  of  his  exhortation  to  patience  and  perse- 
verance in  times  of  suffering.  "You  have  not  yet  re- 
sisted unto  blood."  He  grants  that  they  had  met  with 
many  sufferings  already;  but  they  had  been  so  re- 
strained, as  not  to  proceed  to  life  and  blood.  And 
he  hath  respect  to  what  he  had  affirmed  of  their  past 
and  present  sufferings,  chap,  x,  32 — 34.  (See  the  Ex- 
position of  the  place.) 

He  intimates  that  they  might  yet  expect  ^'-hlood.^^ 
Two  things  are  included;  first,  that  those  who  are  en- 
gaged in  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  have  no  security, 
but  that  they  may  be  called  to  the  utmost  and  last 
sufferings  by  blood  on  account  of  it;  and,  secondly, 
that  whatever  befalls  us  on  this  side,  blood  is  to  be 
looked  on  as  a  fruit  of  divine  tenderness  and  mercy. 

%2.  The  party  with  whom  their  contest  was  in  what 
they  suffered,  was — ^^sin"  The  apostle  still  abides  in 
liis  allusion  to  strife  for  victory  in  public  games; 
therein  every  one  had  an  adversary  whom  he  was 
to  contend  with;  so  have  believers;  and  it  was  not 
their  persecutors  directly,  but  sin  in  them,  that  the 
apostle  alludes  to.  But  whereas  sin  is  but  an  accident 
or  quality,  it  cannot  act  itself,  but  only  in  the  subjects 


Ver.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  307 

wherein  it  is.  When  men  persecute  the  church,  it  is 
sin  acting  itself  in  malice,  hatred  of  the  truth,  blind 
zeal,  envy,  and  bloody  cruelty,  that  engageth  and  rul- 
eth  thein  in  all  they  do.  With  all  these  effects  and 
fruits  of  sin  in  them  believers  contend. 

Again,  they  have  a  contest  with  sin  in  themselves. 
So  the  apostle  Peter  tells  us,  that  fleshly  lusts  war 
against  the  soul,  lEpist.  ii,  11.     They  violently   en- 
deavor the  ovei  throw  of  our  faith  and  obedience. 

§3.  The  icay  or  manner  of  the  opposition  to  be 
made  to  sin,  is  by  resisting  and  striving.  They  arc 
both  military  terms,  expressing  fortitude  of  mind  in  re- 
solving and  executing.  There  is  included  a  supposi- 
tion of  a  vigorous  and  violent  assault,  such  as  enemies 
make  in  battle.  It  is  not  a  ludicrous  contest  that  we 
are  called  to,  but  it  is  for  our  lives  and  souls;  and  our 
adversary  will  spare  neither  pains  nor  hazard  to  win 
them.  Hence  we  are  to  arm  ourselves,  to  take  to 
ourselves  the  whole  ar.\ior  of  God,  to  watch,  to  be 
strong,  to  quit  ouiselvts  like  men.  They  are  all  in- 
cluded in  the  sense  of  these  two  words. 
§4.  And  we  may  observe, 

1.  That  the  proportioning  of  the  f/eo-j'ees  of  suffer- 
ings, and  the  disposal  of  them  as  to  times  and  seasons, 
is  in  the  hand  of  God.  Some  shall  suffer  in  their 
goods  and  liberties,  some  in  their  lives,  some  at  one 
time,  some  at  another,  as  it  seems  good  to  him.  Let 
us  therefore  every  one  be  contented  with  our  present 
lot  and  portion  in  these  things. 

2.  It  is  highly  dishonorable  to  faint  in  the  cause  of 
Christ  and  the  gospel,  under  lesser  sufferings,  when 
we  know  there  arc  greater  to  be  undergone  by  our- 
selves and  others  on  the  same  account. 

3.  That  signal  diligence  and  watchfulness  is  requir- 
ed to  our  profession  of  the  gospel,  considerii^ig  what  en- 
voi.. IV.  39 


308  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12- 

emy  we  have  to  conflict  with.  This  is  sin  in  all  the 
ways  whereby  it  acts  its  power  and  subtilty,  which 
are  unspeakable. 

4.  It  is  an  honorable  warfare  to  be  engaged  against 
such  an  enemy  as  sin  is.  This  being  only  the  contra- 
riety that  is  to  the  nature  and  will  of  God  himself,  it 
is  highly  honorable  to  be  engaged  against  it. 

5.  Though  the  world  cannot,  or  will  not,  yet  Chris- 
tians can  distinguish  between  resisting  the  authority  of 
men,  and  the  resistance  of  sin  lurking  under  the  cloak 
of  that  authority. 

§5,  1 .  There  is  no  room  for  negligence  or  sloth  in 
this  conflict. 

2.  They  do  but  deceive  themselves,  who  hope  to 
preserve  their  faith  in  times  of  trial,  without  the  ut- 
most watchful  diligence  against  the  assaults  and  im- 
pressions of  sin.     Yea, 

3.  The  vigor  of  our  minds  in  the  constant  exercise 
of  spiritual  strength  is  to  this  end  required. 

4.  Without  this  we  shall  be  surprised,  wounded, 
and  at  last  destroyed  by  our  enemy. 

5.  They  that  would  abide  faithful  in  their  profession 
in  times  of  trial,  ought  constantly  to  bear  in  mind, 
and  be  armed  against  the  worst  of  evils.  This  will 
preserve  them  from  being  skaken  or  surprised  with 
those  lesser  evils  which  may  befall  them,  when  things 
come  not  to  an  extremity. 


VERSE  5, 
J7id  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation  tvhick  afieaketh    unto   you 
as  unto  children.,  my  son^  desfiise  not    thou   the   chastening    of 
the  Lor  d.^  nor  faint  nvhen  thou  art  rebiirked  of  him. 

§1.  The  apostle  proceeds  to  a  new  argument,  that  the  afflictions  of  tlie  faithful 
are  chastisements.  §-i.  (K)  Explaiiation  of  the  words.  Ye  have  forgotten 
the  exhortation.  §3.  Which  speaketh  as  to  children.  $4,5.  '1  he  exhorta- 
tion itself.    v,6,  7.    (II.)  Observations. 


Ver.  5.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  309 

§1.  1  HE  apostle  in  these  words  proceeds  to  a  new  ar- 
gument, whereby  to  press  his  exhortation  to  patience 
and  perseverance  under  sufferings,  from  the  nature 
and  end,  on  the  part  of  God,  of  all  those  sufferings; 
for  they  are  not  only  necessary  as  testimonies  to  the 
truth,  but  they  are  chastisements  wherein  God 
hath  a  blessed  design  towards  us.  And  this  argu- 
he  enforceth  with  sundry  considerations,  to  the  end 
of  ver.  13. 

This  multitudes  have  found  by  experience,  that  their 
outward  pressing  sufferings  from  the  world  have  been 
purifying  chastisements  from  God  to  their  souls;  by 
them  have  they  been  awakened,  revived,  mortified  to 
the  world,  and,  as  the  apostle  expresseth  it,  made  par- 
takers of  the  holiness  of  God,  to  their  inexpressible 
advantage  and  consolation.     And, 

Thereby  doth  God  defeat  the  counsels  and  expecta- 
tions of  the  world,  having  a  design  to  accomplish  by 
their  agency  which  they  know  nothing  of;  for  those 
very  reproaches,  imprisonments,  and  stripes,  with  the 
loss  of  goods,  and  danger  of  their  lives,  which  the 
world  applies  to  their  ruin,  God  at  the  same  time  makes 
use  of  for  their  refming,  consolation,  and  joy.  In  all 
these  things  is  the  divine  wisdom  and  goodness  for 
ever  to  be  admired. 

§2.  (I.)  "And  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation." 
There  is  in  the  foregoing  words  a  tacit  rebuke,  that 
they  were  ready  to  taint  under  their  lesser  trials;  the 
reason,  saith  he,  why  you  are  so  ready  to  faint,  is  be- 
cause you  have  not  attended  to  the  direction  and  en- 
couragement provided  for  you.  This  indeed  is  the 
rise  of  all  our  miscarriages,  and  it  is  the  height  of 
pride  and  ingratitude  not  to  comply  with  God's 
entreaties. 


310  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

"You  have  forgotten;"  a  thing  we  mind  not  when 
we  ought,  and  as  we  ought,  w;e  may  be  justly  said  to 
have  forgotten  it;  whether  by  the  exhortation  we  un- 
derstand the  divine  words  themselves,  as  recorded  in 
scripture,  or  the  things  exhorted  to. — Note,  The  want 
of  a  diligent  consideration  of  the  provision  God  hath 
made  in  scripture  for  our  encouragement  to  duty,  and 
comfort  under  difficulties,  is  a  sinful  forgetfulness,  and 
of  dangerous  consequence  to  our  souls. 

For  "whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were 
written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through  patience  and 
comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have  hope,"  Rom. 
XV,  4. 

§3.  "Which  speaketh  unto  you,  as  unto  children." 
The  scripture  is  not  a  dumb  and  silent  letter;  it  hath 
a  voice  in  it,  the  voice  of  God  himself;  and  speaking 
is  frequently  ascribed  to  it,  John  vii,  42,  &c.  And  if 
we  hear  not  the  voice  of  God  in  it  continually,  it  is 
because  of  our  unbelief,  Heb.  iii,  7 — \5.  The  word 
which  was  spoken  so  long  before  by  Solomon  to  the 
church  in  that  generation,  is  said  to  be  spoken  to  these 
Hebrews;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  is  always  present  in  the 
word,  and  speaks  in  it  equally  and  alike  to  the  church 
in  all  ages.  He  speaks  as  immediately  to  us  as  if  we 
were  the  first  and  only  persons  to  whom  he  spake. 
It  argues,  it  pleads,  it  maintains  a  holy  conference  with 
us;  it  presseth  the  mind  and  will  of  God  upon  us;  and 
we  shall  find  the  force,  of  its  arguing  if  we  keep  it  not 
off  by  our  unbelief. 

What  infinite  condescension  is  it  in  God,  that  he 
speaks  unto  us  as  unto  sons!  for  whereas  these  words 
have  respect  to  a  time  of  trouble  an4^  chastisement,  it 
is  of  unspeakable  concernment  to  us,  to  consider  God 
under  the  relation  of  a  Father,  and  that  in  them  he 
speaks  to  us  as  unto  sons.    The  words  originally  spo- 


Ver.  5.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  311 

ken  by  Solomon,  were  spoken  by  God  liimsclj;  "He 
speaks  unto  us  as  unto  "so>i5,"  because  our  gratuitous 
adoption  is  the  foundation  oi"  God's  gracious  dealings 
with  us;  and  this,  it'  any  thing,  is  calculated  to  bind 
our  minds,  in  the  firmest  manner,  to  a  diligent  compli- 
ance with  this  divine  exhortation.     Note,  Usnally, 

God  gives  the  most  evident  pledges  of  their  adoption 
to  believers,  when  in  their  sufferings,  and  under  their 
afflictions;  then  do  they  most  stand  in  need  of  them, 
then  do  they  most  set  off  the  love  and  care  of  God 
towards  us, 

"My  son,"  is  an  application  that  a  wise  and  tender 
father  makes  use  of  to  reduce  his  child  to  considera- 
tion and  composure  of  mind,  when  he  sees  him  nigh  to 
despondency,  under  pain,  sickness,  trouble,  or  the  like; 
"My  son,  let  it  not  be  thus  with  thee."  God  sees  us 
under  our  afflictions  and  sufferings,  ready  to  fall  into 
discomposures,  with  excesses  of  one  kind  or  another; 
and  thereon  applies  himself  to  us,  with  this  endearing 
expression, 

^4.  "Despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Lord.'* 
"Despise  not  thou,^''  that  every  individual  person  may 
conceive  himself  spoken  to  in  particulai',  and  hear  God 
speaking  these  words  to  him:  What  is  this  chasfenhig 
of  the  Lord?  The  word  (vui^sik)  is  variously  render- 
ed; doctrine,  institution,  correction,  chastisement,  disci- 
pline; and  it  is  such  correction  as  is  used  in  the  liberal, 
ingenuous  education  of  children  by  their  parents 
Ephes.  vi,  4.  They  are  indeed  God's  chastisements  of 
us,  for  our  education  and  instiuction  in  his  family;  and 
if  we  duly  consider  them  as  such,  applying  ourselves 
to  learn  what  we  arc  taught,  we  shall  pass  through 
them  more  to  our  advantage  than  usually  we  do. 

That  which  we  are  cautioned  against,  with  respect 
to  the  Lord's  chastening,  is  (/xvi  oKr/u^ei)  that  we  despise 


3lS  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

it  not.  The  word  is  no  where  used  in  the  scripture 
but  in  this  place;  it  signifies  to  set  lightly  hy,  not  to 
value  any  thit^g  according  to  its  worth  and  use;  and 
not  to  esteem  them  as  we  ought,  not  to  improve  them 
to  their  proper  end;  not  to  comply  with  the  will  of 
God  in  them,  is,  interpretatively  to  despise  them; 
wherefore,  the  evil  cautioned  against,  is,  want  of  a  due 
regard  to  divine  admonitions  and  instructions  in  our 
troubles,  either  through  inadvertency,  or  stout  heart- 
edness.  Note,  It  is  a  tender  case  to  be  under  troubles 
and  afflictions,  which  requires  our  utmost  diligence, 
watchfulness,  and  care  about  it;  God  is  in  it,  acting  as 
a  father  and  a  teacher,  if  he  be  not  duly  attended  to, 
our  loss  by  them  will  be  inexpressible. 

§.  The  next  caution  is,  that  we  ''^faint  not  when  we 
are  (fAey^o/xevoi)  reproved ;^^  for  this  is  the  next  evil  we 
are  liable  to  under  troubles  and  afflictions.  The  word 
signifies  a  reproof  by  rational  conviction;  the  same 
thing  materially  with  chastisement  is  intended;  but  un- 
der this  formal  consideration,  that  there  is  in  that  chas- 
tisement a  convincing  reproof.  God,  by  discovering 
to  ourselves  our  hearts  and  ways,  it  may  be  in  things 
which  we  before  took  no  notice  of,  convincefh  us  of 
the  necessity  of  our  troubles  and  afflictions.  He  makes 
us  understand,  wherefore  it  is  that  he  is  displeased  with 
us;  and  what  is  our  duty  hereon  is  declared,  Habak. 
ii,  1 — 4.  Namely,  to  accept  of  his  reproof,  to  humble 
ourselves  before  him,  and  to  betake  ourselves  to  the 
righteousness  of  faith  for  relief. 

§6.  We  now  observe; 

1.  It  is  a  blessed  effect  of  divine  wisdom  that  the 
sufferings  we  undergo  from  men,  for  the  profession  of 
the  gospel,  shall  be  also  chastisements  of  divine  love  for 
eur  bpiritual  advantage. 


Ver.  5.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  313 

2.  The  gospel  never  requires  our  suffering,  but  when, 
as  we  sliall  find  if  we  examine  ourselves,  we  stand  in 
need  of  the  divine  chastisement. 

3.  Wnen  by  ti)e  wisdom  of  God  we  can  discern 
that  what  we  sulicr  is,  on  the  one  hand,  for  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  gospel;  and  is,  on  the  other,  necessary, 
for  our  own  sanctification,  we  shall  be  patient  and  per- 
severing. 

4.  Where  there  is  sincei'ity  in  faith  and  obedience, 
let  not  men  despond  when  called  to  suffer  for  the  gos- 
pel, seeing  it  is  the  design  of  God  by  those  sufferings  to 
purify  and  cleanse  them  from  their  present  evil  frames. 

§7.  1.  Wiien  God's  chastisements  in  our  troubles 
and  aftlictions  are  reproofs  also;  when  he  gives  us  a 
sense  in  them  of  his  displeasure  against  our  sins,  and 
we  are  reproved  by  him;  yet  even  then  he  requires  of 
us,  that  we  should  not  faint  nor  despond,  but  cheerful- 
ly apply  ourselves  to  his  mind  and  calls.  This  is  the 
hardest  co.sc  a  believer  can  be  exercised  with,  when  his 
troubles  and  afflictions  are  also  in  his  own  conscience 
reproofs  for  sin. 

2.  A  sense  of  God's  displeasure  against  our  sins,  and 
of  his  reproving  us  for  them,  is  consistent  with  an  evi- 
dence of  our  adoption;  yea,  may  be  itself  an  evidence 
of  it,  as  the  apostle  proves  in  the  next  verses. 

3.  The  sum  of  instruction  in  this  verse  is,  that  a  due 
consideration  of  this  sacred  truth — that  all  our  troubles, 
persecutions,  and  afflictions  are  divine  chastisements 
and  reproofs,  whereby  God  evidenceth  to  us  our 
adoption,  and  his  instructing  of  us  for  our  advantage 
— is  an  effectual  means  to  preserve  us  in  patience  and 
perseverance  to  the  end  of  our  trials. 


S14  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  12. 


VERSE  6. 

For  •whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneCh^  and  scourgeth  every 
son  IV horn  he  receiveth. 

51.  The  same  divine  tostiraonj'  continued.  §2.  The  first  part  of  the  testimony 
explained  by  several  instructive  particulars.  §3.  The  secoud  branch  explain' 
ed.    §4.  Observations. 


§1.  The  apostle  proceeding  with  the  divine  testimo- 
ny, retaining  the  sense  of  the  whole  exactly,  changeth 
the  words  in  the  latter  clause;  for  instead  of,  "and  as 
a  father  the  son  in  whom  he  delighteth,"  with  whom 
he  is  pleased,  he  supplies  "and  scourgeth  every  son 
whom  he  receiveth."  In  the  Proverbs  the  words  are 
exegeiical  of  those  foregoing,  by  an  allusion  to  an  earth- 
ly parent;  "For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  correcteth, 
even  as  a  father  the  son  in  whom  he  delighteth."  In 
this  text  they  are  farther  explanatory  of  what  was  be- 
fore affirmed;  but  the  sense  in  both  places  is  absolutely 
the  same. 

This,  saith  he,  is  the  way  of  God;  thus  it  seems  good 
to  him  to  deal  with  his  children;  thus  he  may  do,  be- 
cause of  his  sovereign  dominion  over  all;  may  not  he 
do  what  he  will  with  his  own?  This  he  doth  in  infinite 
wisdom,  for  their  good  and  advantage;  as  also  to  evi- 
dence his  love  to  them,  and  care  of  them. 

§2.  In  the  first  part  of  the  testimony  given  to  the 
sovereignty  and  wisdom  of  God,  in  the  ways  and 
methods  of  his  dealings  with  his  children,  we  are  in- 
structed, 

1.  That  love  is  antecedent  to  chastening;  he  chastens 
whom  he  loves.  The  love,  therefore,  hei-e  intended,  is 
the  love  oj* adoption;  that  is,  the  love  of  benevolence, 
whereby  he  makes  men  his  children,  and  his  love  of 
Qomplaccnce  in  them  when  they  are  so. 


Ver.  6.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  815 

2.  Cha-ttising  Is  an  effect  of  his  love.  It  is  not  only 
conseqiieiititil  to,  but  springs  iVoin  it:  wherefore,  there 
is  nothing  properly  penal  in  the  chastisements  of  be- 
lievers. Punishment  proceeds  from  love  to  justice,  not 
from  love  to  the  person  punished;  but  chastisement  is 
from  love  to  the  person  chastised,  though  mixed  with 
displeasure  against  sin. 

3.  It  is  required  in  chastisement,  that  the  person  be 
in  a  state  wherein  there  is  sin,  or  that  he  be  a  sinner; 
so  that  sin  should  have  an  immediate  influence  to  the 
chastisement,  as  the  meritorious  cause  of  it:  for  the  end 
of  it  is,  ^'^to  take  away  sin,"  to  subdue  it,  to  mortify  it, 
to  increase  holiness.  There  is  no  chastisement  in  heaven 
or  in  hell.  Not  in  heaven,  because  there  is  no  sm;  not 
in  hell,  because  there  is  no  amendment.  Chastisement, 
therefore,  is  a  companion  of  them  that  are  "in  the  way," 
and  of  them  only. 

4.  Divine  love  and  chastenin:^  in  this  life  are  insep- 
erable.  '"Whom  he  ioveth;"  that  is,  whomsoever  he 
loveth,  '-he  chasteneth;"  none  goes  free.  It  is  true, 
there  are  different  degrees  and  measures  of  chastise- 
ments, which  comparatively  make  some  seem  to  have 
none,  and  some  to  have  nothing  else.  But  absolutely 
the  divine  {xatfietci)  instructive  chastisement,  is  extend- 
ed to  all  the  family  of  God,  as  we  shall  see. 

5.  Where  chastisement  evidenceth  itself  not  to  be 
penal — as  it  doth  many  ways,  with  respect  to  God 
the  author  of  it,  and  those  who  are  chastised — it  is  a 
broad  seal  set  to  the  patent  of  our  adoption,  which  the 
apostle  proves  in  the  following  verses. 

(>.    This  being  the  way  and  manner  of  God's  deal- 
ing with  liis  children,  there  is  all  the  reason  in  the 
world  why  we  should  acquiesce  in  his  sovereign  wis-  " 
dom  therein,  and  not  faint  under  his  chastisement. 

VOL.  IV.  40 


31(5  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.   12. 

7.  No  particular  person  hath  any  reason  to  com- 
plain of  his  portion  in  chastisement,  seeing  this  is  the 
way  of  God's  dealing  with  all  his  children,  1  Pet.  iv, 
12;  V,  9. 

§3.  The  latter  clause  of  this  divine  testimony,  as  ex- 
pressed by  the  apostle — -'and  scourgeth  every  son 
whom  he  receiveth" — being,  as  it  is  generally  under- 
stood, the  same  with  the  former  assertion,  expressing 
somewhat  more  earnestness,  may  seem  to  need  no 
farther  exposition,  the  same  truth  being  contained  in 
the  one  and  the  other.  But,  I  confess,  that  in  my 
judgment  there  is  something  peculiar  in  it,  which  I 
shall  propose,  and  leave  to  the  reader. 

The  particle  (Jf)  and,  may  rather  be,  efmm,  even, 
or  also,  moreover.  The  verb  ^^scourgeth,^'  argues  at 
least  a  peculiar  degree  or  measure  in  chastisement, 
above  what  is  ordinary;  and  it  is  never  used  but  to 
express  a  high  degree  of  suffering.  A  scourging  is  the 
utmost  w\\\ch  IS  used  in  {%ui^eia)  corrective  instruction. 
Wherefore  the  utmost  that  God  inflicts  on  any  in  this 
world  is  included  in  this  expression.  (Ilap^^Jf^fl^/)  re- 
ceivefh,  accepfcth,  owneth,  avoticetli;  the  word  whereby 
God  declares  his  rest  and  acquiescence  in  Chnst  himself, 
Esai.  xlii,  1;  so  that  it  includes  an  especial  approbation. 
[Uavla  viov)  evert/  son,  is  not  to  be  taken  universally, 
but  is  restrained  to  such  only  as  God  doth  so  accept. 
I  am,  therefore,  induced  to  judge  this  to  be  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words,  viz.  "yea,  also,  he  severely  chastis- 
eth  above  the  ordinary  measure  those  sons  whom  he 
accepts,  and  peculiarly  delights  in"  This  gives  a 
distinct  sense,  and  doth  not  make  it  a  mere  repetition; 
and  the  truth  contained  herein  is  highly  necessary  to 
the  support  and  consolation  of  many  of  God's  children. 
For  when  they  are  signalized  by  affliction;  when  all 
must  take  notice  that  they  are  scourged  in  a  peculiar 


Vek.  7.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  317 

manner,  and  suffer  beyond  the  ordinary  measure  of 
children,  they  are  ready  to  despond  (as  Job,  and  Da- 
vid, and  Pieman)  and  be  utterly  discouraged.  But  a 
due  apprehension  of  its  being  the  way  of  God  to  give 
the  severest  trials,  exercises,  and  scourges  to  them 
whom  he  loves  and  peculiarly  delights  in,  will  make 
them  lift  up  their  heads  and  rejoice  in  all  their  tribu- 
lations. 

§4.  Obs.  That  in  all  our  afflictions,  the  resignation 
of  ourselves  to  the  sovereign  pleasure,  infinite  wisdom, 
and  goodness  of  God,  is  the  only  means  of  preserving 
us  from  fainting,  weariness,  or  neglect  of  duty.  After 
all  our  arguings,  desires,  and  pleas,  this  is  what  we 
must  come  to.  See  Job  xxxiii,  12,  13;  xxxiv,  18,  19, 
23,  31,  33;  xlii,  4,  6, 


VERSE  7. 
If  ye  endure  chastening,,  God  dealeth  with  you  as  with  sons;  for 
what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chasteneth  not? 

§1.  To  endiire  chastening,  what.  §'2.  God's  conduct  towards  his  children,  so  en- 
during. §3.  'rhe  propriety  of  chusUsement  from  his  paternal  relation  to 
thcni.    §4.  Observations. 

§1 .  "If  (t^TopLfi/fTf)  ye  endure  chastening;"  there  is  in 
the  word  a  supposition,  "If  you  do  comply  with  the 
exhortation."  A  mere  suffering  of  things  calamitous, 
which  is  common  to  mankind,  is  no  evidence  of  a 
gracious  reception  with  God.  "If  you  endure;^'  that 
is,  with  faith,  submission,  patience,  and  perseverance, 
so  as  not  to  faint. 

If,  saithhc,arflictions,trials,and  troubles  befall  you,such 
as  God  sends  for  the  chastisement  of  his  children,  and 
you  undergo  them  with  patience  and  perseverance;  if 
you  faint  not  under  them,  nor  desert  your  duty,  then, 

2.    "God   (7rpoo-(p6p?T«i)  dealeth  with  t/ow,  as  with 


$1$  EXPOSITIOlsr  OF  THE  Chap,  ll 

sons;"  he  offereih  himself  unto  you — not  as  an  enemy, 
not  as  a  judge,  not  as  towards  strangers,  but — as  a.  fa- 
ther towards  children.  I  think,  that  the  rendering,  he 
*'dealeth  with  you, '  doth  scarce  reach  the  import  of  the 
Word.  Now  the  meaning  is  not,  that  on  their  per- 
formance of  this  duty  God  would  act  towards  them 
"as  sons,"  for  this  he  did  in  all  their  chastisements 
themselves,  as  the  apostle  proves;  but  rather  hereby, 
"it  will  evidently  appear,  even  to  yourselves,  that  so 
God  deals  with  you,  you  shall  be  able  in  all  of  them 
to  see  the  discipline  and  actings  of  a  father  towards 
his  sons."     As  such  he  will  present  himself  to  you. 

§3.  "For  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chasten- 
eth  not?"  Think  it  not  strange,  it  is  what  necessarily 
follows  the  relation;  "for  what  son?"  The  apostle 
doth  not  take  the  allusion  from  matter  of  fact,  but  of 
right  and  duty;  ior  there  are  many,  too  many,  sons 
that  are  never  chastised  of  their  fathers,  which  com- 
monly ends  in  their  ruin.  But  he  supposeth  two  things: 
That  every  son  will  more  or  less  stand  in  need  of 
chastisement,  and  that  every  wise,  careful  father  will, 
in  such  cases,  chasten  his  son.  Wherefore  it  is  evident, 
that  God's  chastening  of  believers  is  his  "dealing  with 
them  as  sons." 

§4.    Hence  observe, 

1.  Afflictions  or  chastisements  are  no  pledges  of 
our  adoption,  but  when  they  are  endured  with 
patience.  If  it  be  otherwise  with  us,  they  are  nothing 
but  the  tokens  of  anger  and  displeasure;  so  that, 

2.  It  is  the  internal  frame  of  the  heart  and  mind 
under  chastisements,  that  lets  in  a  sense  of  God's  gra- 
cious design  towards  us  in  them.  Otherwise,  "no 
man  knoweth  love  or  hatred  by  all  that  is  before  him;" 
no  conclusion  can  be  made  one  way  or  other,  from 
our  being  aftlicted.     If  our  hearts  tumultuate,  repine;, 


Ver.  8.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  SIQ 

faint,  and  grow  wcaiy.  no  fense  of  pateiral  Icve  can 
enter  into  them,  until  they  are  rebuked,  and  broi  gbt 
into  composure. 

3.  This  way  of  dealing  becomes  the  relation  be- 
tween God  and  believers,  as  father  aid  clildien.  riz. 
that  he  should  chastise,  and  Ihey  shculd  btar  it  pa- 
tiently. This  makes  it  evident,  that  tlieie  is  such  a 
relation  between  them. 


VERSE  8. 

But  if  ye  be  nuithout  chastisement,  ivhereof  all  are  fiartakers,  then 
are  ye  bastards,  and  not  sons. 

§1.  The  certainty  of  the  rule.  §2.  What  implied  in  thastisement.  ^3.  No  true 
son  exempted  from  it  §4.  Those  vho  are  not  chastiFed  wie  liHstsrds,  ard  rot 
sons.  ^5  Hence  the  reasonableness  of  our  not  fainting  under  them.  (6.  Ob- 
servations. 

%\.  1  HE  rule  which  the  apostle  hath  laid  down  con- 
cerning chastisements,  as  a  necessary  instpaiable  ad- 
junct of  that  relation  between  father  and  sons,  is  so 
certain  in  nature  and  grace,  that  (as  he  now  proceeds 
to  shew)  those  who  have  no  chastisements  are  no 
sons,  no  legitimate  children. 

§2.  There  is  in  the  words  a  supposition  of  a  "state 
without  chastisement."  I'ake  "chastisement"  materi- 
ally for  every  thing  that  is  grievous  or  afflictive,  and 
no  man  is  absolutely  without  it.  But  comjjaratiTely,. 
some  even  in  this  sense  are  freed  Ircm  chastisement. 
Such  the  psalmist  speaks  of,  "There  are  no  bands  in 
their  dei^th,  but  their  strength  is  firm;  they  are  not  in 
trouble  as  other  men,  neither  are  they  plagued  like 
other  men,"  Psal.  Ixxiii,  4, 5;  which  he  gives  as  a  char- 
acter of  the  <worst  soi^t  of  men  in  the  world. 

But  this  is  not  the  chastisement  here  intended.  We 
have  shewed  before,  that  it  is  an  institictire  correction; 
and  the  design  of  the  place  requires  that  signification; 


320  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.   12. 

and  this  some  professcrs  may  be  without.  Whatever 
trouble  they  may  meet  with,  yet  they  are  not  under 
divine  chastisements,  for  their  good.  Yet  the  apostle's 
design  may  reach  farther,  namely,  to  awaken  them 
who  were  under  troubles,  but  were  not  sensible  of 
their  being  divine  chastisements:  and  so  lost  all  the 
benefit  of  them,  since  without  that  they  could  have  no 
evidence  of  their  sonships. 

§3.  To  confirm  his  inference,  the  apostle  adds 
the  substance  of  his  rule,  'whereof  all  are  partak- 
ers." The  Syriac  reads  it:  "Wherewith  every  man 
is  chastised;"  but  it  must  be  restrained  to  sons.  This 
therefore  the  apostle  is  positive  in,  that  it  is  altogether 
vain  to  look  for  spiritual  sonsh'p  without  chastise- 
ment. They  who  are  sons  are  partakers  of  it,  every 
one  his  own  share.  There  is  a  general  measure  of 
afflictions  assig  led  to  the  church,  head,  and  members, 
whereof  every  one  is  to  receive  his  part.  Col.  i,  24. 

§4.  The  inference  on  this  supposition  is,  that  such 
persons  are  ''bastards,  and  not  sons  "  Their  state  is 
expressed  both  positively  and  negatively,  to  give  the 
greater  emphasis  to  the  assertion.  Besides,  if  he  had 
only  said,  ''ye  are  bastards  "  it  would  not  have  been 
so  evident  that  they  were  not  sons,  for  bastards  are 
sons  also.  But  now  he  clearly  shews  they  are  not 
such  as  have  a  right  to  the  paternal  inheritance. 
Gifts  they  may  have,  and  riches,  bestowed  on  them; 
but  they  have  no  right  of  inheritance  by  virture  of 
their  sonship,  if  without  chastisement. 

§4.  Hence  the  great  force  and  propriety  of  what  is 
added,  viz.  that  we  should  not  faint  under  our  trials 
and  afflictions.  For  if  they  are  all  such  divine  chas- 
tisements, as  without  which  we  can  have  no  evidence 
of  our  relation  to  God  as  a.  father;  yea,  without  a 
real  participation  of  them,  we  can  have  no  right  to 


Ver.  8.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  321 

the  eternal  inheritance;  it   is  at  once   unwise  and 
wicked  to  be  weary  of  them,  or  to   faint  under  them. 
§6.  And  we  may  observe  hence: 

1.  There  ai-e  no  sons  of  God,  no  real  partakers  of 
adoption,  that  are  without  some  crosses  and  chastise- 
ments in  this  world.  They  deceive  themseh^es  who 
expect  to  live  in  God's  family,  and  not  to  be  under  his 
chastening  discipline.  And  this  should  make  every 
one  of  us  very  contented  with  our  own  lot  and  por- 
tion, whatever  it  be. 

2.  It  is  an  act  of  spiritual  wisdom  in  all  our  troubles, 
to  discern  divine  paternal  chastisements,  without  which 
we  shall  never  behave  ourselves  well  under  them,  nor 
obtain  any  advantage  by  them. 

3.  There  are  in  the  visible  church,  or  among  pro- 
fessors, some  that  have  no  right  to  the  heavenly  inher- 
itance. They  are  bastards;  sons  that  may  have  gifts 
and  outward  enjoyments,  but  they  are  not  heirs. 
And  this  is  a  great  evidence  of  it  in  any; — that  they 
are  not  chastised.  They  may  be  in  trouble  like  oth- 
er men,  (for  man  is  born  to  trouble  as  the  sparks 
fly  upward)  but  they  are  not  sensible  of  divine  chas- 
tisement in  them;  they  do  not  receive  them,  bear  them, 
nor  improve  them  as  such. 

4.  The  joyous  state  o^  freedom  from  affliction  is 
such  as  we  ought  always  to  watch  over  with  great 
diligence,  lest  it  should  be  a  leaving  us  out  of  the 
family  of  God.  I  do  not  say,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
we  may  desire  alllictions,  but  we  may  pray,  that  we 
may  not  want  any  pledge  of  our  adoption,  leaving  the 
ordering  and  disposing  of  all  things  to  the  sovereign 
will  and  pleasure  of  God. 


StZ  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Gha».  12. 


VERSES  9,  10. 

Moreover,  <we  have  had  fathers  of  our  fehh,  who  chastened  us^ 
and  nve  gave  them  reverence;  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in 
subjection  to  the  Father  of  spirits  and  live?  for  they  verily  for 
a  few  days  chastened  us,  after  their  own  filtasure,  but  he  for 
our  profit,  that  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness. 

^,  The  design  and  nature  of  the  argument.  ^3,4  (I.)  Exposition.  The  spe- 
cial end  of  divine  chastening.  $5  What  God  requires  of  us  under  them;  subjec- 
tion.    $6.  The  consequent  of  this  subjection.    §7,  (II.)  Observations. 

§1.  1  HE  design  of  these  words  is,  farther  to  evince 
the  equity  of  the  patient  enduring  divine  chastisement: 
which  is  done  on  such  cogent  principles  of  conviction 
as  cannot  be  avoided,  and  which  are  of  two  sorts: — 
the  first  is  from  the  light  of  nature;  that  children 
ought  to  obey  their  parents,  and  submit  to  them  in 
all  things:  the  other  is  from  the  light  of  grace;  that 
there  is  an  answerable  relation  between  God  and  be- 
lievers, as  is  between  natural  parents  and  their  chil- 
dren, though  it  be  not  of  the  same  nature.  The 
whole  strength  of  the  argument  depends  on  these  un- 
doubted principles. 

§2.  (I.)  '*We  have  \\2idi  fathers  of  our  flesh.''* 
That  learned  man  did  but  indulge  his  unbridled  fancy, 
who  would  have  these  'fathers''''  to  be  the  teachers  of 
the  Jewish  church,  which,  how  they  should  come  to 
be  opposed  to  the  Father  of  spirits,  he  (as  might 
be  expected)  could  not  imagine.  Those  from  whom 
we  derive  our  flesh  ^'chastened  its;"  they  had  a  right 
to  do  so,  and  they  did  it  "as  seemed  good  to  them.''''  It 
is  not  said,  that  they  did  it  for  their  mere  pleasure 
without  respect  to  the  rule  or  equity,  for  it  is  the  ex- 
ample oi  good  parents  that  is  intended.  But  they  did 
it  according  to  their  best  discretion;  wherein  they 
misfht  fail,  both  as  to  the  causes  and  the  measure  of 


Ver.  9,  10.    EPISTLE   TO  THE  HEBEEWS.  323 

chastisement.     The  exercise  of  this  right  is  "for  a  few 
days;''  either  a  few  of  our  own  days;  or  it  may  res- 
pect tlie  advantage  which  is  to  be  obtained  by   such 
chastisements,  which  is  only  the  regulation  of  our  af- 
fections for  a  little  season.     And  (svlps7[oix,e^cc)  we  gave 
them  reverence;  an  ingenuous,  modest  submission,  as 
opposite  to  stubbornness  and  frowardness.     We  were 
kept  in  a  proper  dutiful  temper  of  mind;  we  did  not 
desert  the  family  of  our  parents,  nor  grow  weary  of 
their  discipline,  so  as  to  be  discouraged  from  our  duty. 
§3.  'Shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection  to 
the   Father  of  spirits,''^  of  oitr  spirits?  So  the  opposi- 
tion requires;  the  fathers  of  our  flesh,  and  the  Father 
o^  our  spirits;  the  rational  soul,  which  is  immediately 
created  and  infused,  having   no  other  father  but  God 
himself.     See  Numb,  xvi,  22;  Zcch.  xii,  1;  Jer.  xxxviii, 
16,  I  will  not  deny,  but  that  the  signification   of  the 
word  here  may  he  farther  extended,  so   as  to  com- 
prise also  the  state  and  frame  of  our  spirits  in  their 
restoration  and  rule,  wherein  also  they  are  subject  to 
God  alone:  but  his  being  the  immediate  creator  of 
them  is  primarily  regarded. 

And  this  is  the  fundamental  reason  of  our  patient 
submission  to  God  in  all  our  afflictions,  that  our  very 
soids  are  his,  the  immediate  product  of  his  divine 
power,  and  under  his  rule  alone.  May  he  not  do 
what  he  will  with  his  own?  Shall  the  potsherd  contend 
with  its  maker? 

His  general  end  and  design  therein  is  our  profit  ot 
advantage.  This  being  once  well  fixed,  takes  off  all 
disputes  in  this  case.  Men  in  their  chastisements  do 
at  best  but  conjecture  at  the  event,  and  are  no  way 
able  to  effect  it.  But  what  God  designs  shall  infalli- 
bly come  to  pass;  for  he  himself  will  accomplish,  and 
make  the  means  of  it  certainly  effectual. 

VOL.   IV.  41 


324  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

§4.  *'That  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  horiness.^' 
The  holiness  oF  God  is  either  that  which  he  hath  in 
himself,  or  that  which  he  approves  of,  and  requires  in 
us.  The  first  is  the  infinite  punty  of  tht-  divine  na- 
ture, which  is  absohitely  incommunicable;  rieveithe- 
less,  we  may  be  said  to  be  partakers  ofii,  in  a  pecul- 
iar manner,  by  virtue  of  our  interest  in  God,  as  God; 
as  also  by  the  effects  of  it  in  us,  Ephes.  iv,  24;  as  we 
are  said  to  be  made  "partakers  of  tiie  divine  nature,''* 
2Pet.  i,  4;  which  also  is  the  holiness  oi  God  in  the  lat- 
ter sense,  or  that  which  he  requires  of  us,  and  approves 
in  us. 

Whereas  therefore  holiness  consists  in  the  mortifica- 
tion of  our  lusts  and  affections,  in  the  gradual  renova- 
tion of  of  our  natures,  and  the  sanctification  of  our 
souls;  the  carrying  on  and  increase  of  these  things  in 
us  is  what  God  designs  in  ail  his  chastisements.  And 
whereas  next  to  our  participation  of  Christ,  by  the  im- 
putation of  his  right^eousness  to  us,  this  is  the  greatest 
privilege,  glory,  honor,  and  benefit  that  in  this  world 
we  can  be  made  partakers  of;  we  have  no  leason  to 
be  weary  of  God's  chastisements,  which  are  designed 
for  so  valuable  an  end. 

§5.  That  which  is  required  of  us  as  children  is,  that 
we  "6e  in  subjection  to  him,  as  unto  the  Father  of  spir- 
its.'^ This  answers  to  the  having  our  earthly  parents 
in  reverence  before  mentioned.  The  same  which  the 
apostle  Peter  calls,  "humbling  ourselves  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God,"  1  Pet,  v,  6;  and  there  may  be 
respect  to  the  disobedient  son  under  the  law,  who  re- 
fused to  subject  himself  to  his  parents,  or  to  reform 
upon  their  correction,  Deut.  xxi,  18;  which  I  rather 
think,  because  of  the  consequent  assigned  to  it — "and 
live;"  whereas  the  refractory  sen  was  to  be  stoned  to 
death.  And  this  subjection  to  God  consists  in  an  ac- 
quiescency  in  his  right  and  sovereignty,  to  do  what  he 


Vbr.  9,  1(9.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  325 

will  with  his  own;  an  acknowledgment  of  his  right- 
eousness and  wisdom  in  all  his  dealings  with  us;  a 
sense  of  his  care  and  love,  with  a  due  apprehension  of 
the  end  of  his  chastisements;  a  diligent  application  of 
ourselves  to  his  mind  and  will,  as  to  what  he  calls  us 
to,  in  an  especial  manner  at  that  season;  in  keeping 
our  souls  hy  faith  and  patience  from  weariness  and 
despondency;  and  finally,  in  a  full  resignation  of  our- 
selves to  his  will,  as  to  the  matter,  manner,  times,  and 
continuance  of  our  afHiction.  And  where  these  things 
are  not  in  some  degree,  we  cast  off  the  yoke  of  God, 
and  are  not  in  due  subjection  to  him;  which  is  the 
lands  inhabited  by  the  sons  of  Belial. 

§6.  Once  more;  the  consequent  of  this  subjection 
to  God  in  our  chastisements  is.  that  ''we  shall  live;^' 
and  so  tee  s kail  live.  Though  in  their  own  nature 
they  seem  to  tend  to  death,  or  the  destruction  of  the 
flesh,  yet  it  is  for  life  they  are  designed;  which  is  the 
encouraging  consequent,  which  shall  be  the  infallible 
effect  of  of  them,  2  Cor.  iv,  16 — 18;  the  increase  of 
spiritual  life  in  this  world,  and  eternal  life  in  the  world 
to  come.  The  rebellious  son  who  would  not  submit 
himself  to  correction  was  to  die  tziihoui  mercy;  but 
they  who;are  in  subjection  to  God  in  his  chastisements, 
shall  live  here  and  hereafter. 

§7.  (II.)  And  we  may  now  observe: 

1.  As  it  is  the  duty  of  parents  to  chastise  their  chil* 
dren,  if  need  be,  and  of  children  to  submit  thereto;  so 
it  is  good  for  us  to  have  had  the  experience  of  a  rev- 
erential submission  to  paternal  chastisements,  as  from 
whence  we  may  be  convinced  of  the  equity  and  neces- 
sity of  submission  to  God  in  all  our  alilictions. 

2.  No  man  can  understand  the  benefit  of  divine 
chastisements,  who  understands  not  the  excellency  of 
a  participation  of  God's  holiness.    No  man  can  find 


3^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

any  good  in  a  bitter  portion,  who  understands  not  the 
benefit  of  health.  If  we  have  not  a  due  valuation  of 
this  blessed  privilege,  it  is  impossible  we  should  ever 
make  a  right  judgment  concerning  our  afflictions. 

3.  If  under  chastisements  we  find  not  an  increase  of 
holiness,  in  some  special  instances  or  degrees,  they  are 
utterly  lost,  we  have  nothing  but  the  trouble  and  sor- 
row of  them. 

4.  There  can  be  no  greater  pledge  nor  evidence  of 
divine  love  in  affliction,  than  this,  that  God  designs 
by  them  to  make  us  partakers  of  his  holiness,  to  make 
us  more  like  him. 

VERSE  11. 

vVbw  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous^  but 
grievous;  nevertheless,  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable 
fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them  which  are  exercised    thereby. 

51.  Connexion  and  design.  §2.  (I.)  Expostion.  Affliction,  not  joyous  but  griev- 
ous. §3.  Chastisement  beneficial.  It  yieldeth  the  fruit  of  righteousness.  §4. 
Which  is  peaceable.  ^5.  1  he  season  of  yielding  fruit.  §6.  To  whom.  §7. 
(II J  Observations.  God's  chastisements  will  be  matter  of  son-ow  to  us. 
§8,  9.  Other  observations. 

§1.  This  is  the  close  of  the  apostle's  arguing  about 
sufferings  and  afflictions,  their  use,  and  our  duty  in 
bearing  them  with  patience.  The  same  argument  he 
insisted  upon,  2  Cor.  iv,  17,  "For  our  light  affliction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  The 
trouble  and  sorrow  wherewith  chastisement  is  accom- 
panied he  takes  for  granted,  he  will  not  contend  about 
it;  but  he  takes  off  all  its  weight,  by  opposing  to  it  the 
superior  benefit. 

§2.  "Now  no  chastening,"  &c.  literally,  "but  every 
chastisement  at  present  seems  not  to  be  of  joy-,"  that 
is,  none  doth  seem  to  be  so.  Now;  not  as  an  adverb 
of  time,  but  as  an  note  of  attention.  Every  chastise- 
ment,  not  any  accepted;  for  what  is  affirmed  is  of  the 


Ver.  11.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  327 

very  nature  of  chastisements.  If  any  thing  evil  befall 
a  man,  and  it  be  no  ways  dolorous  to  him,  it  may  be 
a  judgment,  but  it  is  not  a  chastisement  to  him.  For 
the  present;  that  is,  whilst  it  is  actually  on  us,  whilst 
we  suffer  under  it, especially  in  its  fust  ingress  and  as- 
sault; whilst  the  wound  they  give  to  the  spirit  is  fresh, 
before  it  be  mollified  by  faith  and  submission  to  God. 

If  seenieth  not  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous;  that  is, 
whatever  be  spoken  of  the  good  of  chastisement,  it 
represents  itself  otherwise  to  us;  it  appears  with  anoth- 
er face  to  us,  and  we  cannot  but  make  another  judg- 
ment of  it.  The  original  is,  "z^  is  not  of  joy,  but  of 
sorro'w.''^  The  apostle  speaks  not  of  it  here,  as  to  its 
effects,  but  as  to  its  nature;  and  so  it  belongs  not  to 
ihmgs  joyous  and  pleasant.  It  is  not  a  sweet  concoc- 
tion, but  a  bitter  portion.  It  is  in  the  nature  of  every 
chastisement,  to  be  a  matter  of  sorrow  and  grief  at 
present  to  the  chastised. 

§3.  In  the  balance  against  this  matter  of  sorrow  in 
divine  chastisements,  the  apostle  lays  down  the  advan- 
tage and  benefit  of  it.  "It  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit 
of  righteousness."  It  yieldeth  fruit;  not  it  izill  do  so^ 
but  it  do^/i  so.  It  is  not  a  dead  useless  thing.  When 
God  purgeth  his  vine,  it  is  that  it  may  "bear  more  fruit," 
John  XV,  2.  Where  he  dresseth  the  ground,  it  shall 
"bring  forth  herbs  meet  for  himself,"  Heb.  vi,  8.  By 
this  therefore,  shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged, 
and  this  is  all  the  fruit,  "to  take  away  his  sin,''  Isa, 
xxvii,  9. 

This  fruit  is  ''the  fruit  of  righteousness;''  that  which 
righteousness,  bears,  or  brings  forth.  Neither  our  do- 
ing nor  our  suffering  is  the  cause  of  our  righteousness, 
but  they  promote  it  in  us.  and  increase  its  fruit. 
Wherefore,  by  "righteousness"  in  this  place,  our  sanc- 
tiftcation,  or  the  intei^nal  principle  of  holiness  or  obc- 


32S  EXPOSITIONT  OF  THE  Ghaf.  13 

dience  is  intended;  and  the  fruits  hereof  are  its  increase 
in  the  more  vigorous  actings  of  all  graces,  and  their  ef- 
fects in  all  duties;  especially  patience,  submission  to 
the  will  of  God,  weanedness  from  the  world,  mortifica- 
tion of  sin,  heavenly  mindedness,  purity  of  heart,  read- 
iness for  the  cross,  and  the  like,  Rom.  v,  3 — b;  John 
XV,  2_4. 

§4.  This  fruit  of  righteousness  which  chastisement 
yieldeth  is  also  peaceable.  "The  work  of  righteous- 
ness shall  be  peace,"  Isa.  xxxii,  17.  When  we  are 
chastened,  and  when  these  fruits  are  brought  forth  in 
us,  they  are  a  high  evidence  that  God  is  at  peace  with 
us.  and  that  he  designs  our  eternal  good,  Rom  v,  3 — 5. 
They  bring  in  peace  to  our  minds.  Altlictions  are  apt 
to  put  our  minds  into  disorder;  our  affections  will 
tumuituate,  and  raise  great  contests  in  our  souls;  but 
by  these  fruits  of  righteousness  our  hearts  are  quieted, 
our  minds  composed,  all  tumults  allayed,  and  we  are 
enabled  to  possess  our  own  souls  in  patience. 

§5.  The  season  wherein  they  yield  this  fruit,  is 
^' afterwards ;^^  that  is,  after  we  have  been  a  little  exer- 
cised with  them.  This  effect,  it  may  be,  doth  not  ap- 
pear at  first;  we  have  their  surprisal,  as  Job  had,  to 
conflict  with,  which  suspends  for  awhile  the  produc- 
tion of  these  fruits.  They  first  tend  to  subdue  the 
flesh,  to  root  up  weeds,  thorns,  and  briars,  to  break  up 
the  stubborn  fallow  ground,  and  then  to  cherish  the 
seeds  of  righteousness. 

§6.  So  it  is  added,  "unto  them  which  are  exercised 
thereby."  The  word  here  used  signifies  an  exercise 
with  diligence  and  vehemence,  there  being  an  allusion 
in  it  to  those  who  sti-ipped  themselves  naked,  and  so 
put  out  all  their  strength  in  their  public  games,  or  con- 
test for  mastery.  Wherefore  to  be  ex^^rcised  by  chus- 
tisement,  is  to  have  all  our  spiritual  strength,  all  our 


Veb.  11.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  329 

faith  and  patience,  tried  to  the  utmost,  and  acted  in 
all  things  suitably  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God. 

§7.  Obs.  (II.)  When  God  designeth  any  thing  as  a 
chastisement,  it  is  in  vain  to  endeavor  to  keep  off  a  sense 
of  it;  it  shall  be  a  matter  of  sorrow  to  us.  Men  are  apt 
in  their  trials  to  think  it  a  point  of  courage  and  resolu- 
tion to  keep  off  a  sense  of  them,  so  as  not  to  be  affected 
with  grief  about  them.  It  is  esteemed  by  some  a  piece 
of  pusillanimity  to  mourn,  or  to  be  affected  with  sorrow 
about  them.  It  is  true,  indeed,  so  far  as  they  are  from 
men,  and  sufferings  for  the  gospel,  there  is  an  heroic 
frame  of  spirit  required  for  undergoing  them,  so  that  it 
may  appear  we  are  in  nothing  terrified  by  our  adver- 
saries; but  there  can  be  no  pusillanimity  in  us  towards 
God.  It  is  our  duty  to  take  in  adeej)  sense  of  his  re- 
bukes; and  if  he  designs  any  thing  befalling  us  as  a 
chastisement,  it  is  in  vain  for  us  to  contend,  that  it 
may  not  be  a  matter  of  sorrow  to  us.  For  if  it  yet  be 
not  so,  it  is  but  an  entrance  into  his  more  severe  deal- 
ing with  us.  He  will  not  cease  till  he  hath  broken 
the  fierceness  and  tamed  the  pride  of  our  spirits,  and 
have  brought  us,  like  obedient  children,  to  submit  our- 
selves under  his  mighty  hand. 

§8.     Observe  farther; 

1.  Not  to  take  in  a  sense  of  sorrow  in  affliction, 
through  stoutheartedness,  is  to  despise  the  chastening 
of  the  Lord,  vcv.  5.  The  sorrow  intendrd  which  ac- 
companies chastisement,  is  that  which  the  apostle  terms 
{\v%vi  ^uTu  Qeov,  2  Cor.  vii,  9,)  "Sorrow  according  to 
God,"  or  after  a  godly  sort;  it  is  not  a  wailing  of  the 
flesh  upon  a  sense  of  pain;  it  is  not  the  disordei'  of  our 
affections  upon  their  encounter  with  things  ..rievous 
in  their  present  state  of  ease;  it  is  not  a  heartless  des- 
pondency under  our  pressuies,  cnlecbling  us  for  our 
duties;  but  a  Jiiial  sense  of  God's  displeasure,  accom* 


330  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

panied  with  nature's  aversation  from  things  evil  and 
grievous  to  it. 

2.  The  nature  and  end  of  afflictions  are  not  to  be 
measured  by  our  present  sense  of  them;  at  present  they 
are  dolorous,  but  the  great  relief  under  what  is  griev- 
ous at  present  is,  the  due  consideration  of  their  end 
and  tendency,  as  appointed  of  God.     And, 

3.  All  the  trouble  of  afflictions  is  but  for  the  pres- 
ent; at  most  but  for  the  little  while  we  are  to  continue 
in  this  world;  within  a  very  short  time  we  shall  leave 
them  behind  us  for  evermore. 

§9.  I.  Those  who  cannot  see  an  excellency  in  the 
abounding  of  the  fruits  of  rigiiteoiisness  before  describ- 
ed, can  never  apprehend  that  there  is  either  good  or 
benefit  in  chastisements;  for  this  alone  is  that  which 
the  apostle  proposeth  to  answer  ail  that  is  grievous 
or  evil  in  them;  but  these  things  believers  value  above 
life  itself,  and  can  esteem  well  of  every  thing,  be  it 
never  so  sharp  to  the  flesh,  that  doth  promote  these 
fruits  in  our  souls. 

,  2.  We  can  never  find  any  benefit  in  chastisements 
unless  we  are  exercised  by  them;  thatis,that  all  our  graces 
are  stirred  up  by  them  to  an  holy,  constant  exercise; 
for  hereby  alone  do  they  yield  the  peaceable  fruit  of 
righteousness. 

3.  It  is  the  fruit  of  righteousness  alone,  that  will 
bring  us  peace;  give  us  a  sense  of  peace  with  God, 
peace  in  ourselves,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  peace  with 
all  others.     And, 

4.  Grace  in  afflictions  will  at  length  quietly  com- 
pose the  mind  under  the  storm  raised  by  them,  and 
give  it  a  peaceful  rest. 

5.  Herein  lies  the  wisdom  of  faith  in  this  matter, 
not  to  pass  a  judgment  on  cha.siisiMnert  from  the 
present  sense  we  have  of  what  is  evil  and  dolorous  in 


Ver.  12,  13.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         381 

them,  but  from  their  end  and  use,  which  are  blessed 
and  glorious. 


VERSES  12,  13. 
Wherefore  lift  ufi  the  hands  which  hang  cloivti,  and  the  feeble 
knees;  and  make  straight  paths  for  your  feet^  lest  that  nohich 
is  lame  be    turned  out  of  the  way,  but  let  it  rather  be  healed, 

§1,  Introfliiction.  §2,3.  (I.)  The  several  parts  of  the  words  explained.  §4 — 6. 
Mnkiiig  straightpalhs  for  our  feet,  what.  §7,  The  enforcement  of  the  duty. 
§8,  9.  (11.)  UbservaUons. 

§1 .  In  these  verses  an  entrance  is  made  to  the  second 
part  of  the  chapter,  which  is  designed  for  the  applica- 
tion of  the  doctrine  concerning  sufferings,  afflictions, 
and  chastisements,  before  insisted  on;  for  the  right  un- 
derstanding of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
words,  we  must  take  notice,  that  there  is  a  supposition 
included  of  some  failure  in  the  Hebrews  as  to  their 
courage  and  constancy  in  suffering;  at  least  that  they 
were  in  great  danger  of  it,  and  that  it  began  to  affect 
the  minds  of  many;  and  perhaps  greatly  to  prevail  in 
some  among  them;  this  he  had  insinuated  before  in 

the  entrance  of  his  discourse  on  th  s  snbject,  ver.  3 5, 

and  now  resumes  it  as  the  ground  of  his  address. 

That  part  of  the  exhortation  which  is  contained  in 
ver.  12,  is  taken  from  Isaiah  xxxv,  8;  and  the  way  of 
its  proposal  is  in  continued  metaphors,  in  answer  to 
the  first  prescription  of  duty  which  was  to  run  a  race, 
or  strive  for  a  victory,  ver.  1.  Wherefore,  the  exhor- 
tation is  applied  to  those  parts  of  the  body  which  are 
of  principal  use  in  the  gymnastic  exercises,  viz.  the 
hands,  the  knees,  and  the  feet,  whereby  the  body  put- 
teth  forth  all  its  strength,  to  obtain  the  prize;  the  hands 
and  knees  being  the  principal  seat  of  strength  and  ac- 
tivity. 

^2.    (I.)    ''Lift  up  the  hands  that  hang  downj'' 

VOL.  IV.  42 


4^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1;2. 

(Tapeiixevag)  weakened  and  dissolved  in  their  strength, 
whence  of  course  they  hang  dotvn;  which  is  an  evi- 
dence of  being  weary,  faint,  unready,  and  on  the  point 
of  giving  over.  -^And  the  feeble  knees;"  (TrapaAfXu/xfva, 
soluta,  dissoluta,  labantia,)  debilitated,  weak,  whos© 
nervous  vigor  is  dissolved;  so  in  great  weakness,  fear, 
and  despondency,  the  knees  are  said  to  smite  together, 
Nah.  ii,  10;  Dan.  v,  6. 

In  both  expressions  we  have  a  description  of  a  man 
heartless,  or  slothful,  or  so  faint  in  running  a  race,  as 
to  be  ready  to  cast  off  all  hopes  of  success,  and  to  give 
over, 

§3.  It  is  the  same  kind  of  distemper  which  affects 
these  several  parts;  and  therefore  the  apostle  prescribes 
the  same  remedy  to  both;  («vcp6w(raTf,  surripite,  eri- 
gite)  raise  them  up  io  a  due  state  and  posture;  set 
them  right  again;  apply  them  to  their  duty;  so  in  the 
cure  of  the  woman  who  had  the  infirmity,  wherewith 
she  was  bowed  down,  we  render  the  same  word 
'-made  straight,''^  Luke  xiii,  13;  or  upright  again. 

Wherefore  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  words,  or  mean- 
ing of  the  similitudes,  is  plain,  and  there  is  no  necessity 
to  make  a  distribution  of  parts,  as  to  what  is  particu- 
larly and  separately  intended  by  the  hands  and  knees; 
for  by  the  same  kind  of  defect  in  both,  the  fault  of  the 
whole  is  described;  which  is  such  a  decay  in  Christian 
courage  and  resolution,  as  brings  along  with  it  a  great 
weakness  and  unreadiness  for  duty;  proceeding  from 
a  despondency  as  to  success,  and  weariness  of  duty; 
in  them  do  our  hands  hang  down,  and  our  kness  grow 
feeble. 

§4.     "And  make  straight  paths  for  your   feet." 

The  first  part  of  the  exhortation  concerned  the  inward 

frame  of  our  minds;  that  which  now  follows  looks  to 

our  ways,  walking,  and  conversation  with  respect  to 


Ver.  12, 13.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  QS3 

others;  according  as  our  path  is,  right  and  straight,  or 
crooked  and  uneven,  so  will  our  course  he.  It  is  there- 
foie  highly  incumbent  on  us  to  look  well  to  the 
paths  wherein  we  are  going. 

The  direction  seems  to  be  taken  from  Prov.  iv,  26, 
^'Ponder  the  path  of  thy  feet,  and  let  all  thy  ways  be 
established;"  or  rather,  "all  thy  ways  shall  be  order- 
ed aright;"  which  is  the  sense  of  this  place. 

In  order  to  discover  the  duty  h^re  prescribed,  we 
must  consider; — what  are  the  paths  of  our  feet;  and 
— how  we  are  to  make  them  straight. 

§5.  (Tpo%/«?)  Our  ^a^/i5;  the  original  word  signifies 
(rwv  Tpo%wv  nufiuiig)  the  mark  made  by  wheels;  so 
though  it  be  taken  for  (semita,)  a  path,  yet  it  is  (or- 
hita)  such  a  path  as  is  marked  out  for  others,  that 
leaves  a  track  that  may  be  followed. 

Our  obedience  to  God  is  called  our  walking  be- 
fore him,  Gen.  xvii,  i.  The  first  divine  testimony  giv- 
en to  any  man  was  with  respect  to  his  faith  in  sacrifice, 
Gen.  iv,  4;  expressing  the  atonement  to  be  made  by 
Christ;  and  the  second  was  to  obedience  under  the 
name  of  walking  with  God;  "Enoch  walked  with 
God,"  Gen.  v,  24;  in  these  two,  thus  exemplified  from 
the  begin ning,/ai^/i  and  obedience,  doth  the  life  of  God 
in  the  church  consist;  and  every  one's  course  of  ac- 
tions, with  respect  to  God  and  his  will,  are  his  paths. 

The  path  of  our  obedience  may  be  considered,  ei- 
ther objectively,  denoting  the  will  of  God  revealed  to 
us;  the  canon  or  rule  which  we  are  to  walk  by;  in 
which  sense  the  pat;i  of  all  men  is  one  and  the  same; 
absolutely  and  perfectly  straight  in  itself;  or,  it  may  be 
considered  subjectively,  with  respect  to  them  that  walk 
in  it,  and  so  there  are  degrees  of  straightness;  men  may 
continue  in  it,  yet  fail  variously  as  to  its  universal  rec- 
titude.    So  Peter  and  others  with  him  did  not  (op^o':r6' 


S34  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

hiv.  Gal.  ii,  14,  rmialk  with  a  right  foot;)  they  contin- 
ued in  the  paf/i  of  gospel  truth,  but  they  stiimb ted  m 
it,  they  warped  in  one  instance  from  it. 

§6.  And  hereby  we  may  understand  what  is  here 
enjoined  by  way  of  duty,  viz.  to  make  these  paths 
straight.     For  there  are  two  things  herein; 

1.  That  we  walk  uprightly  in  the  paths  of  obedi- 
ence; then  are  our  paths  straight  when  we  walk  up- 
rightly in  the  paths  of  God.  And  as  this  respects 
our  universal  obedience;  so,  I  doubt  not,  but  regard 
i§  bad  to  halting,  or  taking  some  crooked  steps  in 
profession  during  trial;  deserting  of  church  assemblies, 
for  "taring  of  sundry  necessary  duties,  irregular  com- 
pliance with  the  Jews  in  their  worship;  though  they  ut  ■ 
terly  forsook  not  the  path  of  the  gospel,  yet  they  walk- 
ed not  in  with  a  right  foot;  they  failed  in  the  way, 
though  they  fell  not  from  it;  these  things  the  apostle 
would  have  rectified. 

2.  That  we  walk  visibly  in  these  paths;  this  is  in- 
cluded both  in  the  signification  of  the  original  word 
(rpoxicii)  paths  and  in  the  precept,  to  make  our  paths 
staight.  And  this  is  necessary  to  the  end  of  preserv- 
ing otiiers  from  bei:  g  turned  out  of  the  way,  or  their 
recovery  from  their  wandering. 

Therefore,  the  duties  especially  intended  in  this  pre- 
cept, are  courage,  resolution,  constancy  in  profession. 
With  a  diligent  watch  against  all  crooked  compliances, 
or  fearful  relinquishment  of  duties. 

§7.  The  enforcement  of  the  duty  required^  is,  "lest 
that  which  is  lame  be  turned  out  of  the  way;  but  let 
it  rather  be  healed."  He  that  is  lame  can  make  but 
slow  progress,  and  is  often  read>  by  his  halting  to  stum- 
ble out  of  the  way.  Lameness,  therefore,  is  some  de- 
fect that  is  distinguished  from  external  hinderances, 
and  from  mere  fainting   or   weariness,   (whereof  the 


Vbr.  12,  13.  EPISTLE  TO  TIhE  HEBREWS.  335 

apostle  had  spoken  before,  and  which  may  befall  them 
that  are  not  lame)  which  obstructs  men  in  their  pro- 
gress, and  makes  them  be  easily  turned  out  of  the  way; 
besides,  it  includes  an  inward  disease  in  particular, 
whence  the  apostle  says,  it  is  to  be  healed. 
§8.  Hence  observe; 

1.  Despondency  and  weariness  are  the  great  evils 
which,  in  all  our  sufferings  and  afflictions,  we  are  with 
all  attention  of  mind  to  watch  against;  this  is  the  way 
whereby  multitudes  have  entered  into  scandalous 
backslidings,  and  many  into  cursed  apostasies.  We 
do  well  to  pity  others  who  are  weary  and  faintng  in 
their  courage,  and  under  their  burdens,  for  they  have 
spent  all  their  strength,  and  have  no  way  of  supply; 
but  we  are  to  be  no  way  gentle  towards  ourselves  in 
our  spiritual  weariness  and  decays,  because  we  have 
continual  supplies  of  strength  ready  for  us,  if  we  use 
them  in  a  due  manner,  see  Isa.  xl,  28 — 31. 

2.  We  ought  to  confirm  our  minds  against  all  dis- 
couragements and  despondencies,  by  the  consideration 
of  God's  design  in  all  our  sufferings  and  afflictions, 
and  the  blessed  success  with  which  he  will  crown 
them. 

3.  The  recovery  of  this  frame,  or  the  restoration  of 
our  spiritual  ''hands  and  knees"  to  their  former  vigor, 
is  by  stirring  up  all  grace  to  its  due  execise,  which  \s 
torpid  and  desponding  under  this  slothful  frame. 

4.  It  is  our  duty  not  only  to  be  found  in  tlie  ways 
of  God  in  general,  but  to  take  care  that  we  walk  care- 
fully, circumspectly,  uprightly,  and  diligently  in  them. 
It  is  a  sad  thing  w  hen  some  men's  walk  in  the  ways 
of  God  shall  deter  others  from  them,  or  turn  them  out. 

5.  To  make  halts  or  baulks  in  our  way  of  profes- 
sion; or  our  paths  being  crooked  in  the  neglect  of  du- 
ty; or  dastardly  compliances  with  the  world  in  time  of 


33§  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

trials  and  persecution,  is  an  evidence  of  an  evil  frame 
of  heart,  and  of  a  dangerous  state  and  condition. 

6.  Sundry  diseases,  weaknesses,  and  lamenesses  are 
apt  to  befall  the  flock  of  God.  These  he  promiseth 
himself  to  be  tender  towards,  and  to  heal,  as  he  sever- 
ally threatens  those  shepherds  by  whom  they  are  neg- 
lected,  Ezek.  xxxiv,  4,  &c. 

§9.  And  the  sense  of  these  words  may  be  included 
in  the  ensuing  observations: 

1.  An  hesitation  or  doubtfulness  about  important 
doctrines  of  truth  will  make  men  lame  and  weak  in 
their  profession.     And, 

2.  Those  who  are  so,  are  disposed  to  a  total  defec- 
tion from  the  truth,  and  are  ready  on  all  occasions  to 
go  out  of  the  way.     Also  in  general, 

3.  Every  vicious  habit  of  mind,  every  defect  in 
light  or  neglect  of  duty,  every  want  of  stirring  up  grace 
to  exercise,  will  make  men  lame  and  halt  in  their  pro- 
fession, and  easy  to  be  turned  aside  by  difficulties  and 
oppositions. 

4.  When  we  see  persons  in  such  a  state,  it  is  our 
duty  to  be  very  careful  so  to  behave  ourselves,  as  not 
to  give  any  occasion  to  their  farther  miscarriages,  but 
rather  endeavor  their  healing. 

5.  The  best  way  whereby  this  may  be  done,  is  by 
making  visible  and  plain  to  them  our  own  faith,  reso- 
lution, courage,  and  constancy,  in  a  way  of  obedience 
becoming  the  gospel.  Hereby  we  shall  both  excite 
them  to,  and  direct  them  in  their  duty.     For, 

6.  The  negligent  walking  of  those  professors,  who 
are  sound  in  the  faith,  their  weakness  and  pusillanimi- 
ty in  times  of  trial,  and  their  want  of  making  straight 
paths  to  their  feet  in  visible  holiness ,  is  a  great  means 
of  turning  aside  those  that  are  lame,  weak,  and  halt- 
ins:. 


Vkr.  14.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  337 

7.  It  is  good  to  deal  with,  and  endeavor  the  healing 
of  such  halters,  "whilst  they  are  yet  in  the  way;"  for 
when  they  are  quite  turned  out,  their  recevery  will  be 
difficult,  if  not  impossible. 


VERSE  14. 

■l^'ollow  fieaceiuithall  7nen^  and  holinenSi  nvithout    -which  no    vtaii 
shall  see  the  Lord. 

$1.  Transition  to  a  new  subject.  Prescription  of  practical  duties.  $2.  Exposi- 
tion. Our  duty  towards  men.  To  follow  peace  with  them.  JS.  The  m»n- 
nerof  doing  it.  J4,  Our  duty  tOMards  God.  To  follow  holiness.  J5.j Obser- 
vations. 


§1.  From  his  exhortation  to  patient  perseverance 
in  the  profession  of  the  gospel  under  sufferings,  and 
afflictions,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  a  prescription  of 
practical  duties;  and  although  they  are  such  as  are  ab- 
solutely necessary  in  themselves  at  all  times,  yet  they 
are  here  peculiarly  enjoined,  with  respect  to  our  con- 
stancy in  professing  the  gospel;  for  no  light,  no 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  no  resolution  or  courage  will 
preserve  any  man  in  his  profession,  especially  in  times 
of  trial,  without  a  diligent  attendance  to  the  duties  of 
holiness  and  gospel  obedience. 

§2.  "Follow  peace  with  all  men."  The  substance 
of  our  duty  towards  all  men,  «5  mej7,  in  all  circum- 
stances and  relations,  is  to  "seek  peace  with  them." 
And  that  we  may  do  our  duty  to  attain  it,  three  things 
are  required: — Righteousness;  "The  fruit  of  right- 
eousness is  peace;"  to  wrong  no  man,  to  give  to  every 
one  his  due,  or  to  do  to  all  men  as  we  would  have 
them  do  to  us: — Usefulness;  That  we  be  useful 
to  all  men,  in  all  duties  of  piety,  charity,  and  benefi- 
cience,  Gal.  vi,  10.  "As  we  have  opportunity  let  us 
do  good,"  be  useful,  profitable,  beneficial,  working  that 
which  is  good  towards  all  men;   avoiding  of  just  of- 


338  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  .Chap.  12. 

fence;  "Give  none  offence  neither  to  the  Jews,  nor  to 
the  Gentiles,"  1  Cor.  x,  32.  But,  be  it  remarked,  we 
must  eternally  bid  defiance  to  that  peace  with  men, 
which  is  inconsistent  with  the  peace  of  God.  The 
divine  mandate  runs, — '-If  it  be  possible  as  much  as 
lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with  all  men,"  Rom.  xii,  18. 

§3.  From  these  difficulties  ariseth  the  injunction  of 
the  special  way  and  manner  of  seeking  it  (J/wMflf) 
earnestly  follow.  It  is  that  which  will  fly  from  us, 
and  which  we  mast  with  all  earnestness  pursue,  or  we 
shall  not  overtake  it;  and  it  is  so  expressed,  because 
of  the  many  pretences  which  most  men  use  to  avoid 
peace  with  those  who  profess  the  gospel.  All  these, 
"as  much  as  in  us  lieth,"  we  are  to  overcome  in  pur- 
suit of  peace,  never  giving  it  over  whilst  we  are  in  this 
world. 

"VV^ith  all  men,"  that  is,  all  sorts  of  men,  according 
as  we  stand  related  to  them,  or  have  occasion  of  con- 
versing with  them.  The  worst  of  men  are  not  excep- 
ted out  of  this  rule;  not  our  enemies;  not  our  persecu- 
tors; we  are  still,  by  all  the  ways  mentioned,  to  "fol- 
low peace"  with  them  all.  Let  this  alone  be  fixed> 
that  we  are  not  obliged  to  any  thing  that  is  inconsis- 
tent with  holiness,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  ad- 
verse to  the  principles  and  light  of  our  minds  and  con- 
sciences, for  the  obtaining  of  peace  with  any,  or  all  the 
men  in  the  world;  wiiich  rule  is  absolute  and  univer- 
sal.    Wherefore, 

§4.  The  other  thing  enjoined  respects  our  diity  to- 
wards God.  "And  holiness."  It  refers  to  the  same 
way  of  seeking  it;  to  follow  :t  earnestly,  to  pursue  it 
by  all  appointed  ways  and  means;  and  what  is  here 
prescribed,  is  universal  holiness,  "without  which  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord."  It  is  all  one  whether  we 
understand  God  absolutely,  or  the  Lord   Christ  in  aii 


Ver.  14.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  389 

especial  manner  by  the  name  "Lord;"  for  we  shall  never 
see  one  without  the  other.  Christ  prays  for  us,  that  we 
may  be  where  he  is,  to  behold  his  glory,  John  xvii,  24; 
but  this  we  cannot  do  without  seeing  God  also,  or  the 
eternal  glory  of  God  in  him.  This  sight  of  God  and 
Christ,  which  is  iniellectual,  not  corporeal;  finite,  not 
absolutely  comprehensive  of  the  divine  essence;  is  the 
sum  of  our  future  blessedness.  And  the  necessity  of 
it  depends  both  on  an  eternal,  unchangeable,  divine 
constitution — God  having  enacted  it,  as  an  eternal  law, 
that  holiness  shall  be  the  way  of  attaining  and  coming 
to  blessedness — and  on  its  being  a  due  preparation  for 
it;  the  soul  being  by  holiness  made  meet  and  fit  to 
come  to  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  Col.  i,  12,  13.  And 
therefore  (s  %wp/c,  qua  destitutus)  without  which;  of 
which  whoever  is  destitue,  in  whom  this  holiness  is 
not,  he  shall  never  see  the  Lord. 
§3.  Whence  observe: 

1.  A  frame  and  disposition  of  seeking  peace  with 
all  men,  by  the  means  before  laid  down,  is  eminently 
suited  to  the  doctrine  and  grace  of  the  gospel. 
It  is  a  great  ornament  to  our  profession,  and  a  great 
comfort  and  support  to  ourselves  in  our  sufferings. 
For  when  we  have  the  testimony  of  our  consciences, 
that  we  have  sincerely  sought  peace  with  all  men,  it 
will  not  only  make  us  rest  satisfied  in  what  they  un- 
justly do  to  us;  but  give  us  a  triumph  over  them  in  our 
minds,  in  that  we  have  complied  with  the  will  of  God 
therein. 

2.  They  are  much  mistaken  who  hope  to  see  Chrisi; 
hereafter  in  glory  and  live  and  die  here  in  an  unholy 
state.  No  privilege,  no  gift,  no  church  ofiice  or  power, 
will  give  admission  to  this  state. 

*  3.  If  this  doctrine  be  tme,  that  "without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  the  case  will  be  hard  at  Ig-st, 

VOL. IV.  43 


340  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ohap.  l^. 

and  the  dissappointment  dreadful,  with  a  multitude  of 
professors,  especially  those  popes,  cardinals,  and  pre- 
lates, who  pretend  that  they  have  the  opening  of  the 
door  into  his  presence  committed  to  them. 

4.  We  may  follow  peace  with  men,  and  not  attain 
it;  but  if  we  follow  holiness,  we  shall  assuredly  see  the 
Lord. 

5.  The  same  means  are  to  be  used  for  securing  our 
present  perseverance,  and  our  future  blessedness,-, 
^'holiness." 


VERSE  15. 

^baking  diligently  lest  any  man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God,  lest  any, 
root  of  bitterness  sjiringing  up,  trouble  you,  and  thereby  many 
be  defiled. 

€1.  Connexion.  §2.  Explanation  of  the  caution  and  warning.  §3.  Taken  from 
'  Moses.  §4.  The  dang^i'feas  consequence  of  neglecting  the  caution.  §5,  6." 
Observations. 


p.  From  a  prescription  of  necessary  ditties,  the 
apostle  proceedeth  to  give  caution  and  warning  against 
sundry  sins  and  evils  that  are  contrary  to  them,  and 
such  as,  if  admitted,  would  prove  ruinous  to  their  pro- 
fession, particularly  in  reference  to  our  work  and  duty 
towards  others.  And  the  apostle  would  have  us  (ob- 
stare  principiis)  to  hinder  the  entrance  of  this  evil, 
-and  so  effectually  to  prevent  its  progress. 

§2.  "Looking  diligently,"  respects  both  the  common 
charitative  duty  of  all  believers  as  tliey  are  called  to  it 
by  occasions  and  circumstances,  as  also  an  especial 
institution  of  Christ,  to  be  observed  in  his  church. 
The  Lord  Christ  hath  ordained,  that  the  members  of 
the  same  church  and  society  should  mutually  watch 
oyer  one  another,  and  the  whole  body  over  all  the 
naembers  to  their  mutual  edification.     And  that  the 


Vbr.  15.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  3i\, 

practice  of  it  is  now  so  much  lost,  is  the  shame  and 
almost  the  ruin  of  Christianity. 

The  first  evil  to  be  obviated  by  this  church  inspec- 
tion is,  "failing  of  the  grace  of  God;"  God's  favor 
and  acceptance  in  Christ,  as  proposed  and  declared  by 
the  gospel;  all  spiritual  mercies  and  privileges  in  adop- 
tion, justification,  sanctification,  and  consolation.  This 
grace,  men,  under  all  their  profession  of  the  gospel, 
may/ai/of.  The  word  (valspeu)  to  fail,  signifies  some- 
times to  tcani  or  be  deficient  in  any  kind,  Matt,  xix, 
20;  sometimes  to  come  behind,  1  Cor.  i,  7;  sometimes 
to  be  destitute,  Heb.  xi,  37;  sometimes  to  come  short 
of,  as  Rom.  iii,  23;  Heb.  iv,  1;  but  no  where  signifies 
to  fall  from:  so  that  the  inquiries  of  men  'about  fall- 
in  g  from  grace,  as  to  these  words,  are  impertinent. 
Wherefore,  to  "fail  of  grace,"  is  to  come  short  of  it, 
not  to  obtain  it,  though  we  seem  to  be  in  the  way 
thereto.  So  also  t.)  -fall  from  grace,"  Gal.  v,  4;  is,  not 
to  obtain  justification  by  tlie  faith  of  Clirist. 

§3.  "Lest  any  root  of  bitterness  springing  up  trouble 
you."  All  agree  that  the  apostle  hath  respect  to  the 
ivords  of  Moses,  Deut.  xxix,  18.  "Lest  there  should 
be  among  you  a  root  that  beareth  gall  and  worm- 
wood." Gall  was  a  poisonous  weed  in  the  eastern 
countries,  and  the  name  is  often  applied  to  poisonous 
and  destructiv^e  sins,  Amos  Vi.  12;     Deut.  xxxii,  32. 

Now  it  is  evident  that  in  the  words  of  Moses,  per- 
sons inclining  to  apostasy  and  departure  from  God 
are  intended.  So  the  foregoing  words  make  it  manifest; 
"Lest  there  should  be  among  you  a  man  or  woman, 
or  family,  or  tribe,  whose  heart  turneth  away  from  thfe 
Lord  our  God,  to  go  and  serve  the  gods  of  these  na- 
tions;" that  is,  lest  there  should  be  among  you  a  root 
that  beareth  gall  or  Wormwood;  be  it  one  or  more, 
man  or  woman,  family,  or  tiibc,  that  is  thus  affected. 


342  I:XPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

it  is  a  root  of  bitterness  among  you.  Hence  it  is  evi- 
dent the  apostle  intendeth  not  any  evil  in  the  abstract, 
any  heresy  or  sin;  but  persons  guilty  of  this  evil, 
whose  hearts  are  inclined  to  apostasy  from  the  gospel, 
either  into  Judaism,  or  sensuality  of  life. 

It  may  be  called  a  "-root,^^  because  the  beginning  of 
it  is  hidden  in  the  hearts  of  men,  where  it  cannot  be 
discovered;  and  because  from  this  evil  heart  of  unbe- 
lief, the  whole  evil  of  apostasy  proceeds,  as  fruit  upon 
its  proper  root.  And  it  is  called  a  "root  of  biiterness" 
because  of  its  poisonous  qualities.  Generally  when 
men's  hearts  are  inclined  to  apostasy,  they  conceal  it 
for  a  season  like  a  root  in  the  earth;  but  as  they  have 
Opportunity  they  begin  to  discover  what  is  within; 
commonly  by  the  neglect  of  the  church  assemblies  and 
duties,  chap,  x,  24,  25.  Thence  they  proceed  to  pei^- 
^erse  disputings,  and  contention  against  the  truth,  1 
Tim.  vi,  5;  and  so  go  on  to  manifest  themselves  in 
practices,  as  occasions  are  administered.  This  "root" 
will  not  always  lie  covered  this  evil  heart  will  manifest 
itself;  which  is  the  ^'springing  up'''  here  intended. 

(Evo%7V))  ''trouble  you,^^  by  bringing  things  into  dis- 
order, tumult  and  confusion.  A  trouble  oisori^ow  and 
grief  for  the  sin  and  eternal  ruin  of  those  who  have 
been  united  with  them  in  the  same  gospel  society* 
When  those  in  whom  this  root  is,  are  either  conji- 
dent  or  numerous,  they  will  trouble  the  church,  disor- 
er  it,  and  cast  things  into  confusion,  by  wrangling  dis- 
putes, speaking  perverse  things,  endeavoring  to  draw 
disciples  to  corrupt  and  deceive,  as  is  the  manner  of 
all  apostates.  I'hey  also  '■^trouble'''  the  church  by 
bringing  an  evil  report  upon  it  for  divisions,  conten- 
tions, and  instability. 

§4.  "And  thereby  many  be  defiled;"  f/iere6z/,  by  this 
root  so  springing  up  and  bearing  this  fruit  of  trouble. 


Ver.  15.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  343 

A  dangerous  thing  it  is  to  have  such  things  fall  out  in 
churches,  that  there  be  amongst  them  a  man  or  wom- 
an, few  or  more,  than  on  any  pretences  incline  to  a 
departure  from  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  It  seldom  stops 
with  themselves.  Through  ignoiance,  negligence, 
darkness,  but  especially  the  want  of  experiencing  the 
power  of  gospel  truth,  professors  are  easily  imposed  on 
by  them,  and  thereby  many  are  defiled. 

There  is  no  impropriety  in  saying  they  are  defiled 
by  a  "root  springing  up;"  for  the  apobtie  doth  not  speak 
of  the  manner  of  its  operation,  but  ot"  the  effect  it  pro- 
duceth;  and  this  is,  that  men  who  have  been  cleansed 
by  baptism,  and  the  profession  of  the  truth,  should  be 
again  contaminated  with  abominable  errors,  or  filthy 
lusts,  2  Pet.  ii,  18—22. 

§5.  Observe  hence, 

1.  The  grace,  love,  and  good  will  of  God,  in  the 
adoption,  justification,  sanctification,  and  glorification 
of  believers  is  proposed  to  all  in  the  gospel,  as  what 
may  be  infallibly  attained  in  the  due  use  of  appointed 
means — sincere  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

2.  The  outward  profession  of  the  gospel,  and  the 
enjoyment  of  its  privileges,  will  not  of  themselves  in- 
state any  man  in  the  grace  of  God,  or  an  assured  in- 
terest therein. 

3.  There  is  no  man,  who.  under  the  profession  of 
the  gospel  comes  short  of  obtaiiiing  the  grace  and 
favor  of  God,  but  it  is  by  reason  of  his  own  sin.  The 
proposal  of  it,  on  the  terms  expressed  in  the  gospel,  is 
sure,  and  none  shall  ever  tail  of  it,  who  embrace  it  on 
these  teims.  This  is  included  in  the  word  which  hath 
a  charge  on  it,  of  a  sinful  deficiency  in  seeking  after 
this  grace. 

4.  Negligence  and  sloth,  missing  of  opportunities, 
«nd  love  of  sin,  all  proceeding  from  unbelief,  arc  the 


SU  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  CtiAP.  1^; 

only  causes  why  men  under  profession  of  the  gospel, 
do  fail  of  the  grace  of  God. 
§6.  Farther  observe, 

1.  That  the  roof  of  apostasy  from  God  arid  the 
profession  of  the  gospel  may  abide  invisibly  in  pro- 
fessing churches. 

2.  Spiritual  evils  in  churches  are  progressive.  From 
small  and  imperceptible  beginnings,  they  w\\\  grow 
and  increase  to  the  worst  of  evils,  2  Tim.  ii,  16, 17. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  churches,  what  in  them  lies,  to 
prevent  their  own  trouble,  as  well  as  the  ruin  of  oth- 
ers. 

4.  There  is  a  latent  disposition  in  negligent  profes- 
sors to  receive  infection  by  spiritual  defilemei  its,  if  they 
are  not  watched  against.     "Many  will  be  defiled." 

5.  That  church  inspection  is  a  blessed  ordinance 
and  duty,  which  is  designed  by  Christ  himself,  as  a 
means  to  prevent  these  contagious  evils  in  churches. 

VERSES  16,  ir. 
Lest  there  be  any  fornicator  or  profane  person,  as  Esau,  ivh» 
/or  one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his  birthright;  for  ye  know  that 
afterwards,  when  he  would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was 
rejected.  For  he  found  no  place  of  repentance,  though  he 
sought  it  carefully  with  tears. 

§1.  Introduction.  §2.  (I.)  Words  explained.  Fornication.  ^3.  Profaneness, 
Esau.  §4.  His  birthright.  §5.  How  he  sohl  it.  §C.  Found  no  place  for  rei- 
pcatance.    §7.  But  was  rejected.     Why!  §8,  9,  (11.)  Obiet  vations. 

§1.  I.  HE  apostle  proceeds  to  give  other  instances  of 
evils,  whereby  Christian  societies  w'ould  be  cor- 
rupted, and  w^ay  made  for  total  apostasy  which  were 
to  be  diligently  heeded,  and  carefully  w^atched  against. 
He  puts  together ^br»iica/7on  and  profaneness;  be- 
cause they  usually  go  together.  Fornicators,  that  is, 
those  who  are  habitually  so,  always  grow  profane; 
and  rofane  persons,  of  all  others,  are  apt  to  set  light 
by  foi'nication.  These  things  are  written  with  thfe 
beams  of  the  sun,  in  the  days  wherein  w^e  live.     Few 


Veb.  16,  \7.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  345 

fornicators  or  profane  persons  do  ever  come  to  repen- 
tance. 

§2.  (I.)  "That  there  be  no  fornicator;"  reference  is 
had  to  the  former  charge;  "look  you  to  it  diligently," 
that  there  be  no  fornicator  in  your  society.  Take 
care  that  no  persons  fall  into  that  sin;  or  if  they  do, 
let  them  be  removed  from  among  you.  The  sin  is 
evil  to  them,  but  the  communion  is  evil  to  you.  This 
sin  is  most  directly  and  particularly  opposite  to  that 
holiness,  which  he  is  exhorting  them  to,  as  that  with- 
out which  they  shall  not  see  the  Lord. 

Under  this  name  o^ fornicaior,  all  sins  of  the  same 
kind  are  intended.  For  the  scripture  calls  all  conjunc- 
tion with  women  not  in  lawful  marriage  by  the  name 
of  "fornication,"  ICor.  v,  8 — 10.  It  is  therefore  gen- 
eral, as  to  all  who  are  so  guilty  of  uncleanness,  as  to 
come  under  this  denomination,  without  any  supposed 
restriction  to  the  Gentiles. 

There  is  no  sort  of  sinners  that  would  be  so  scan- 
dalous to  churches,  should  they  be  tolerated  in  them, 
as  fornicators.  And  therefore  the  Pagans  endeavor- 
ed with  their  utmost  malice  and  false  accusations,  to 
fasten  the  charge  of  adulteries,  incests,  promiscuous 
lusts,  and  uncleanness,  on  Christians  in  their  assemblies 
For  they  knew  full  well,  that  let  them  pretend  what 
else  they  pleased,  if  they  could  fix  this  stain  upon 
them  they  would  be  the  common  hatred  and  scorn 
of  mankind.  For  the  higher  men's  pretences  are  to 
God  and  religion,  if  they  should  issue  in  such  vile 
lusts,  they  are  the  more  contemptible,  and  the  more  to 
be  abhorred. 

§3.  The  second  evil  to  be  watched  against  its  pro-- 
faneness;  or  that  theie  be  no  ''profane  person'^  among 
them.  For  it  is  persons  that  are  strictly  intended,  as 
is  evident  in  the  instance   of  Esau.    7'o  be  profane 


346  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

may  be  taken  either,  passively  or  actively; — in  the 
Jirst  ssnse,  it  is  a  person  or  place  separated  and  cast 
out  from  the  society  ol"  things  sacred.  So  holy  things 
are  said  to  bs  profaned,  when  men  take  off  the  vener- 
ation that  is  due  to  them,  and  expose  them  to  common 
use  or  contempt.  A  profane  person,  actively,  is  one 
that  despiseth,  sets  light  by,  or  contemneth  sacre^ 
things.  Such  as  mock  at  religion,  or  who  lightly  re- 
gard its  promises  or  threatenings;  who  despise  or  neg- 
lect God's  worship,  who  speak:  irreverently  of  its  con-, 
cerns,  we  deservedly  call  profane  persons,  and  such 
the  world  is  filled  with  at  this  day. 

This  profaneness  is  the  last  step  of  entrance  into 
final  apostasy.  When  men  from  professors  of  relig- 
ion become  despisers  of,  and  scoffers  at  it,  their  state 
is  dangerous,  if  not  uTecoverable. 

"As  Esau."  There  are  very  few  in  scripture,  con- 
cerning whom  more  evidences  are  given  of  their  being 
reprobates.  And  this  should  warn  all  men  not  to 
trust  to  the  outward  privileges  of  the  church.  He  was. 
the  first  born  of  Isaac,  circumcised  according  to  the 
law  of  that  ordinance,  and  partaker  in  all  the  worship 
of  God  in  that  holy  family;  yet  an  outcast  from  the 
covenant. 

§4.  "Who  for  one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his  birth- 
right," Many  exposit-ors  in  the  consideration  of  the 
sin  of  Esau,  Gen.  xxv,  30 — 34;  reflect  on  many  crimes 
in  him,  especially  intemperance  and  gluttony;  but,  as 
far  as  I  can  see,  without  cause.  This  desire  of  food 
from  his  own  brother,  when  he  was  hungry  and  faint, 
might  be  harmless;  but  his  ''profaneness^^  acted  itself 
in  a  readiness  to  part  with  his  birtlirigJit,  with  what- 
soever was  contained  in  it  and  annexed  to  it.  And 
whereas,  as  we  shall  see,  this  had  something  in  it 
that  was  sacred,  the  undervaluing  of  it  was  an  high 


Teh.  16,17.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         34'r 

instance  of  profaneness.  He  sold  (t«  'xpuhlomu  ccvlt 
suum  jus  prhnogeniti:  Bez.)  his  right  of  the  first- 
born; (jus primogeniturcB  su(Z)  the  right  of  his  own 
primogeniture;  the  things  belonging  to  him  as  the  first- 
born. I  shall  not  with  some  admit  the  pnesthood 
among  the  privileges  of  the  birthright,  and  can  give 
arguments  sufficient  to  disprove  it;  but  this  is  not  a, 
place  to  insist  on  these  things.  A  double  portion  of 
the  paternal  inheritance  appertain  to  the  first-born  by 
the  law,  Deut.  xxi,  17. 

There  was  also  in  it  a  right  of  rule  and  government 
over  the  rest  of  the  children  of  the  family,  which  was 
transferred  to  Judah  on  the  forfeiture  made  by  Reu- 
ben, 1  Chron.  v,  .2;  and,  therefore,  when  Isaac  had 
transferred  the  birthright  and  blessing  to  Jacob,  he  tells 
Esau,  "I  have  made  him  thy  lord,  and  all  his  brethren 
have  I  given  unto  him  for  servants,"  Gen.  Xxvii,  37. 
But,  moreover,  there  was  a  blessing  that  from  Abra- 
ham ran  in  the  patriarchal  line,  which  was  communi- 
cated from  father  to  son,  containing  an  inclosure  of  all 
church  privileges,  and  the  preservation  of  the  promised 
seed.  This,  I  confess,  was  distinct  from  the  birthright, 
Gen.  xxvii,  36.  But  although  it  were  not  annexed 
inseparably  to  the  birthright,  yet  there  was  a  just  ex- 
pectation that  it  should  be  conveyed  according  to  the 
primogeniture.  Hence,  not  only  Esau  calls  it  his 
blessingy  '-he  hath  taken  away  my  blessing,'^ver,  36,but 
Isaac  calls  it  so  too;  "he  hath  taken  away  thy  blessing,^' 
ver.  35.  It  was  not  his  by  divine  destination,as  appeared, 
in  the  issue;  nor  had  he  made  it  his  by  obtaining  a  spe- 
cial interest  in  the  promise  by  faith;  for  he  had  it  not. 
But  in  the  ordinary  course  it  was  to  be  his,  and  so  in 
his  own  expectation;  but  God  cut  off  the  line  of  suc- 
cession hcrein,and  gave  it  to  Jacob.  Now  as  Jacob  in  his 
whole  design  aimed  not  at  riches  and  power,  wherein 

VOL,    IV.  14 


34^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12, 

he  was  contented  to  see  his  brother  far  exceed  him;  but  at 
an  inheritance  of  the  patriarchal  blessing,  wherein  the 
promised  seed  and  the  church  state  were  contained, 
whereunto  the  birthright  was  an  outward  entrance, 
a  sign  and  a  pledge  of  it;  so  Esau,  by  selling  his  birth- 
right, did  virtually  renounce  his  right  to  the  blessing, 
which  he  thought  to  be  annexed  thereto. 

§3.  But  it  may  be  inquired  how  he  sold  his  birth- 
right, or  bow  he  could  sell  what  was  not  in  his  own 
power?  The  word  is  [uitehlo)  he  gave  away,  or  he 
gave  up.  But  whereas  he  did  it  for  what  he  esteemed 
a  valuable  consideration,  and  made  an  express  bar- 
gain, the  sense  intended  in  the  word  is,  that  he  sold 
it,  Gen.  xxv,  33.  And  although  he  never  sought  the 
recovery  of  the  birthright,  the  renunciation  of  which 
he  had  confirmed  by  an  oath,  yet  he  hoped  he  might 
retain  the  blessing  still. 

It  is  evident  how  in  all  his  actions  he  carried  it  pro- 
fanely; for  he  discovered  a  great  readiness  to  part  with 
his  birthright,  and  all  that  was  annexed  to  it  by  divine 
institution.  Being  a  man  wholly  given  to  his  pleas- 
ures,  and  the  love  of  present  things,  he  seems  scarce 
ever  to  have  entertained  serious  thoughts,  about  what 
it  was  significant  of,  in  things  spiritual  and  heavenly. 
He  did  it  on  so  slight  an  occasion,  and  valued  it  at  so 
small  a  rate,  as  "one  mess  of  pottage,^^  or  "one  morsel 
of  meat^^  that  is,  what  was  to  be  eaten.  Regardless  of 
what  he  had  done,  after  the  power  of  his  present  temp- 
tation was  over,  it  is  said,  "he  did  eat  and  drink,  and 
rose  up  and  went  his  way,"  as  a  man  utterly  uncon- 
cerned in  what  he  had  done;  whereon  the  Holy  Ghost 
adds  that  censure.  "Thus  Esau  despised  his  birth- 
right; he  did  not  only  sell  it  but  despised  it,"  Gen. 
xxv,  31 — 34.     This  was  the  "profaneness"  of  Esau. 

§6.  "For  ye  know  how  that  afterwards,  when  he 
would  have  inherited  the  blessing."  There  is  a  peculiar 


Ver.  16,  17.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  .HEBREWS.  349 

force  of  persuasion  and  conviction,  when  we  argue 
from  men's  own  knowledge  and  concessions.  You 
know  this  yourselves;  you  know  it  full  well  from  the 
scripture,  and  therefore  let  it  be  of  great  weight  and 
consideration  with  you.  Esau  is  represented  as  a  man 
under  great  amazement,  as  if  he  had  little  thought  to 
fall  into  such  a  condition.  And  thus  at  one  time  or 
other  it  will  fall  out  with  all  profane  persons,  who 
have  refused  the  mercy  and  privileges  of  the  gospel; 
they  shall  at  one  time  or  other  fall  under  dreadful  sur- 
prisals.  Then  shall  they  see  the  horror  of  those  crimes, 
which  before  they  made  nothing  of.  ^'How  that  after- 
wards.^^ This  afievxards  was  not  less,  perhaps,  than 
forty  or  fifty  years,  for  he  sold  his  birthright  when  he 
was  young:  now  when  he  designed  the  recovery  of 
Ihe  blessing,  Isaac  was  about  an  hundred  and  forty 
years;  so  long  did  he  live  in  his  sin,  without  any  sense 
of  it  or  repentance  for  it.  Things  went  prosperously 
with  him  in  the  world,  and  he  had  no  regard  in  the 
least  of  what  he  had  done,  nor  of  what  would  be  the 
end  of  it.  But  falling  now  into  a  new  distress,  it  fills 
him  with  perplexity;  and  so  it  is  with  all  secure  sinners 
whilst  things  go  prosperously  with  them,  they  can 
continue  without  remorse;  but  at  one  time  or  other 
their  iniquity  will  find  them  out. 

(0eAov  MXvipovo(ji.v](7a<  tvjv  ivKoyiuv)  he  would  have  in- 
herited the  blessing.  He  esteemed  himself  the  pre- 
sumptive  heir  of  the  patriarchal  blessing,  and  knew 
not  that  he  had  virtually  renounced  it,  and  meritori- 
ously lost  it,  by  selling  his  birthright.  So  the  apostle 
here  distinguisheth  between  the  birthright  and  the 
blessing.  He  sold  his  birthright,  but  would  have  in- 
herited the  blessing:  and  herein  he  was  a  type  of  the 
unbelieving  Jews  at  that  time;  for  they  adhered  to  the 
outward  things  of  the  blessing,  the  carcass  of  it,  to  the  re- 
jection of  him  who  wsls  the  whole  life,  soul  and  power  of 


350  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12 

it.  Note;  It  is  not  unusual,  that  men  should  earnestly 
desire  the  outward  privileges  of  the  church,  who  value 
not  the  inward  grace  and  power  of  them;  but  they  are 
profane  persons. 

§7.    The  event  of  this  attempt  was,  that  he  was  re- 
jected.    Not  that  his  eternal  reprobation  is  hereby  in- 
tended, but  this  open,  solemn  rejection  of  him  from 
the  covenant  of  God,  and  the  blessings  thereof,  was 
an  evidence  of  his  being  reprobated;  whence  he  is  con- 
sidered as  the  type  of  reprobates,  Rom .  ix,  1 1 , 1 2.    The 
7'efusal  of  his  lather  to  give  him  the  patriarchal  bless- 
ing is  here  intended.     It  is  all  one  whether  we  refer 
(avlviv)  it,  in  the  close  of  the  verse,  to  the  remote  ante- 
cedent the  blessing,  or  to  the  next,  which  is  7'epentance. 
For  that  which  he  sought,  even  in  repentance,  (namely, 
the  repentance  of  his  father,  or  the  change  of  his  mind) 
was  the  blessing  also.     For  it  is  now  generally  agreed 
by  all,  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  words,  which  should 
in  the  least  intimate,  that  he  sought  of  God  the  grace 
of  repentance;   nor  is  there  any  thing  in  the  record 
that  looks  that  way.    And  I  shall  rather  interpret  this 
.  word  with  Beza  of  the  blessing,  than  of  the  repent- 
ance even  of  Isaac;  because  his  cry  was  immediately 
and  directly  for  the  former.     The  manner  how  he 
sought  the  blessing,  is,  that  he  did  it  diligently  with 
tears.      So  the  apostle  expresseth  the  record,  Gen. 
xxvii,  38. 

1.  He  did  it  when  it  was  too  late;  for  he  had  not 
only  forfeited  his  right  to  it  long  before,  and  lived  in 
impenitency  under  that  forfeiture,  but  the  sacred  in- 
vestiture of  another  in  that  blessing  was  solemnly  past, 
which  could  not  be  recalled. 

2,  He  sought  not  at  all  in  a  due  manner.  Outward 
vehemency  in  expressions  and  tears  may  be  influenced 
by  such  considerations  as  are  not  an  evidence  of  in* 


Ver.  16,  If.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  351 

ward  sincerity.  He  sought  it  not  of  God,  but  only  of 
him  who  was  the  minister  of  it.  There  are  no  bounds 
put  to  the  infinite  treasures  of  divine  goodness,  if  ap- 
plication be  made  in  a  due  manner.  But  he  sought 
the  end  without  the  means;  he  would  have  the  bless- 
ing, but  used  not  the  means  for  attaining  it, — faith  and 
repentance.  For,  notwithstanding  all  his  sorrow  and 
trouble,  upon  his  disappointment  he  immediately  re- 
solved, as  Cain  in  the  like  case,  to  kill  his  brother. 

§8.  From  the  premises  observe  the  ensuing  particu- 
lars: 

1.  That  church  which  tolerates  in  its  communion 
men  living  in  such  gross  sins,  as  fornication,  &c.  is  ut- 
terly departed  from  the  rule  of  the  gospel.  And  it  is 
also  hence  evident, 

2.  That  apostatising  professors  are  prone  to  sins  of 
uncleanness;  for  being  overcome  of  the  flesh,  and 
brought  into  bondage,  as  2  Pet.  ii,  19;  they  are  slaves 
and  debtors  to  it,  to  serve  it  in  the  lusts  of  uncleanness. 

3.  Evil  examples  proposed  in  scripture  light,  laid 
open  in  their  roots  and  courses,  are  efficacious  warn- 
ings to  believers  to  abstain  from  all  occasions  leading 
to  the  like  evils.     Take  warning  from  Esau. 

4.  When  there  is  in  any  a  latent  predominant  prin- 
ciple of  profaneness,  a  sudden  temptation  or  trial  will 
let  it  out  to  the  greatest  evils.  Thus  it  was  with  Esau; 
and  we  see  it  daily  verified  to  amazement. 

5.  This  principle  of  profaneness,  in  preferring  the 
morsels  of  the  world  before  the  birthright  privileges  of 
the  church,  is  what  at  this  day  threatens  the  present 
ruin  of  religion. 

Let  men  pretend  what  they  please,  it  is  from  a  spirit 
of  profaneness  that  they  forsake  the  privileges  and  as- 
semblies of  the  church  for  any  outward  advantages; 
and  what  will  be  their  success,  we  shall  see  in  the  next 
verge. 


35^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chaf.  12. 

§9.   Again  observe; 

1.  This  example  of  Esau  cuts  off  all  hopes  by  out- 
ward privileges,  when  there  is  an  inward  profaneness 
of  heart.  He  had  as  much  to  plead  for  the  blessing, 
and  as  fair  a  probability  for  attaining  it,  -as  ever  any 
profane  hypocrite  can  have  in  this  world.     And, 

2.  Profane  apostates  have  a  limited  season  only, 
wherein  the  recovery  of  the  blessing  is  possible.  For 
although  here  be  no  intimation  of  a  man  sseking  re- 
pentence  from  God  in  a  due  marner  and  being  reject- 
ed, which  is  contrary  to  the  revtaled  nature  of  God, 
who  is  a  rewarder  of  all  who  diligently  seek  him;  yet 
here  is  an  indication  of  severity,  in  leaving  men, 
guilty  of  such  provocations,  in  an  irrecoverable  con- 
dition, even  in  this  life. 

3.  The  severity  of  God  in  dealing  with  apostates 
is  a  blessed  ordinance  for  the  preservation  of  believers, 
and  the  edification  of  the  whole  church,  Rom.  xi,  22, 

4.  Sin  may  be  the  occasion  of  great  sorrow,  where 
there  is  no  sorrow  for  sin;  as  with  Esau.  Men  may 
rue  that  in  its  consequences  which  yet  they  like  well 
enough  in  its  causes. 

5.  No  man  knows  to  what  event  a  deliberate  sin 
may  lead  him.  Esau  little  thought,  when  he  sold  his 
birthright,  that  he  had  utterly  forfeited  the  eternal 
blessing. 

6.  Profaneness,  the  despising  of  spiritual  privileges, 
is  a  sin  that  God  will,  at  one  time  or  other,  testify  his 
severity  against;  yea,  this,  on  many  accounts,  is  the 
proper  object  of  God's  severity.  It  shall  not  be  spar- 
ed in  the  eldest  son,  and  most  dearly  beloved  of  an 
Isaac. 

7.  Steadfastness  in  faith,  with  submission  to  the  will 
of  God,  will  establish  the  soul  in  those  duties  whjch 
»re  most  irksome  to  flesh  and  blood.     Nothing  could 


Ver.  18,  19.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  353 

prevail  with  Isaac  to  change  his  mind,  when  he  knew 
what  was  the  will  of  God. 


VERSES  18,19. 
^or  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  viount  that  might  be  touched,  and 
that  burned  with  Ji'^e,  nor  unto  blackness^  and  darkness,  and 
temfitestf  and  the  sound  of  a  trumfitt,  and  the  voice  of  toordss 
•which  voice  they  that  heard  entreated  that  the  loord  should  not 
be  a/ioken  to  them  any  more. 

§1.  Some  general  considerations  premised.  f2,  3.  (I.)  Exposition.  Not  come 
to  the  mount  that  might  be  touched  ^4.  The  fire  that  burned.  §5.  Blackness. 
§0.  Darkness  and  tempest.  ^7  The  sound  of  a  trumpet.  §8.  The  voice  of 
words,    J9.  The  request  of  the  hearers.    §10,  11.  (II.)   Observations. 

^I.TThis  discourse,  from  hence  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter,  is  of  great  weight,  and  accompanied  with  sun- 
dry difficulties;  which  expositors  do  scarcely  so  much 
as  notice.  I  shall,  therefore,  premise  those  general 
considerations  which  will  direct  us  in  its  exposition, 
taken  from  the  scope  of  the  words,  and  nature  of  the 
argument  in  hand.     And, 

1.  The  whole  epistle,  as  we  have  often  observed,  is 
as  to  the  kind  of  writing,  parenetic;  intended  as  a  per- 
suasive to  constancy  and  perseverance  in  the  profes- 
sion of  the  gospel. 

2.  The  main  argument  which  he  insists  on  in  gener- 
al to  this  end,  and  wherein  the  didactical  part  of  the 
epistle  doth  consist,  is  the  excellency,  glory,  and  ad- 
vantage of  that  gospel  state  to  which  they  were  called. 

3.  Having  insisted  particularly  and  distinctly  on 
these  things,  and  brought  his  argument  from  them  to 
an  issue,  he  makes,  in  the  discourse  before  us,  a  i^eca- 
pittdation  of  the  whole;  for  he  makes  a  brief  scheme 
of  the  two  states  of  the  law  and  gospel  which  he 
had  compaied,  balancing  the  one  against  the  other, 
and  thereby  demonstrates  the  force  of  his  argument 
and  exhortation. 


g54  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  Ig 

4.  It  must  be  observed,  that  the  great  honor  and 
privilege  of  the  Judaical  church  state,  and  whereon  all 
particular  advantages  depended,  was  their  coming  to 
mount  Sinai  at  the  giving  of  the  law.  There  were 
they  taken  into  covenant  with  God,  to  be  his  peculiar 
people  above  all  the  world;  there  were  they  formed 
into  a  national  church;  and  there  had  they  all  the 
privileges  of  divine  worship  committed  to  them. 

5.  Wherefore  the  apostle,  allowing  all  this,  observes, 
that  it  was  done  in  such  a  way  of  dread  and  terror, 
as  that  there  was  no  evidence  in  all  that  was  done  of 
God's  being  reconciled  to  them  by  those  things.  The 
whole  representation  of  him  was  as  an  ohsolute  sove- 
reign,^nA?i  severe  judge.  Thunders,voices,earthquakes, 
and  fire,  give  no  signification  of  grace  and  mercy;  but 
rather  bespeak  a  "glorious  ministration  of  death,'* 
2  Cor.  iii,  7;  whence  the  consciences  of  sinners  were 
forced  to  subscribe  to  their  own  condemnation  as  just 
and  equal.  God  was  here  represented  in  all  outward 
demonstations  of  infinite  holiness,  justice,  severity,  and 
terrible  majesty,  on  the  one  hand;  and,  on  the  other, 
menm  their  lowest  condition  of  sin,  misery,  guilt,  and 
death.  If  there  be  not  therefore  something  else  to  in- 
terpose between  God  and  men,  somewhat  to  fill  up 
the  space  between  infinite  severity  and  inexpressible 
guilt;  all  this  glorious  preparation  was  but  a  theatre  set 
up  for  pronouncing  judgment,  and  the  sentence  of 
eternal  condemnation  against  sinners.  On  this  con- 
sideration depends  the  force  of  the  apostle's  argument, 
and  the  due  apprehension  and  consideration  of  it  is  a 
better  exposition  of  verses  18 — 21,  than  the  mere  open- 
ing of  the  particular  expressions  will  amount  to;  yet 
they  also  must  be  explained. 

§2.  (L)  "For  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that 
might  be  touched."     Ye  are  not  come;  two  things  are 


Ver.  18,  19.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  355 

included  in  this  negative  expression:  what  their  fa- 
thers did,  they  came  to  the  things  liere  mentioned; 
and — what  they  were  delivered  from,  by  their  call  tb 
the  gospel.  They  were  no  thore  concerned  in  all  that 
dread  and  terror. 

The  apostle  in  this  comparison  between  their  ^^com- 
ing'^  of  old  into  the  legal  church  state,  and  our  ad- 
mission into  the  gospel  state,  includes  a  supposition  of 
the  way  and  manner  whereby  they  approached  to  God 
in  the  giving  of  the  law, -uis.  by  the  sancttfication  of 
themselves,  the  washing  of  their  clothes,  as  an  out- 
ward sign  thereof,  with  other  reverential  preparations, 
Exod.  xix,  10,  11.  Whence  it  will  follow,  that,  the 
gospel  church  state  being  so  much  more  excellent  than 
that  of  old,  God  himself  being  in  it  in  a  more  glorious 
and  excellent  manner;  we  ought  to  endeavor  a  more 
eminent  sanctification  and  preparation,  in  all  our  ap- 
proaches to  God  therein,  ver.  28.  We  may  also  ob- 
serve some  things  in  general  concerning  the  appear- 
ance of  the  divine  Majesty,  which  intimates  the  glo- 
ry and  terror  of  it.     As, 

1.  It  was  on  the  top  of  an  high  mountain,  not  on  a 
plain.  As  this  had  a  great  appearance  of  the  throne 
of  majesty,  so,  it  being  above  the  people,  as  it  were 
over  them,  it  was  meet  to  fill  them  with  dread  and 
fear;  they  looked  up  and  saw  the  mountain  above 
them  full  of  fire  and  smoke;  the  whole  mount  quaking 
greatly,  thunders  and  terrible  voices  being  heard  in  the 
air,  Exod.  xix,  18;  and  xx,  18:  Deut.  iv,  11;  they 
could  have  no  other  thoughts  hereon,  but  that  it  was 
a  fearful  thing  to  come  to  judgment  before  the  holy 
Lord  God.  And  one  view  of  that  terror  of  the  Lord's 
holiness  and  severity  here  represented,  is  enough  to 
make  the  stoutest  sinner  quake  and  tremble. 

2.  To  increase  the  reverence  due  to  this  appearances 
Vol.  IV.  45 


35Q  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CKap.  1,2 

the  people  were  commanded  to  keep  their  distance, 
and  were  straightly  forbidden  an  approach  beyond 
the  bounds  fixed  and  prescribed  to  them. 

§3.  They  came  [-i^viXciCpcaixsvoo  opei)  "unto  the  mouvA 
that  might  he  touched;''''  mount  Sinai  in  Arabia,  Gal. 
iv,  25.  He  makes  this  observation  to  manifest  how 
inferior  the  giving  of  the  law  was,  in  comparison  of  the 
promulgation  of  the  gospel,  which  was  from  heaven; 
and  to  intimate  the  fear  and  bondage  the  people  were 
then  in,  who  might  not  so  much  as  touch  the  moun- 
tain, on  which  were  the  signs  of  God's  presence,  though 
it  was  in  itself  a  thing  exposed  to  the  sense  of  all  crea- 
tures. And  there  is  much  of  divine  wisdom  (observa- 
ble in  the  choice  of  this  place  for  the  giving  of  the 
law.     For, 

1.  It  was  a  place  of  absolute  solitude;  here  the  peo- 
ple could  neither  see  nor  hear  any  thing,  as  it  were, 
but  God  and  themselves:  there  was  no  appearance  of 
any  relief,  no  place  of  retreat;  but  there  they  must 
abide  the  will  of  God.  And  this  teacheth  us,  that 
when  God  deals  with  men  by  the  law,  he  will  let  them 
see  nothing  but  himself,  and  their  own  consciences. 
He  takes  them  out  of  their  wonted  reliefs,  and  pre- 
vents all  reserves  and  retreats.  For  the  most  part, 
when  the  law  is  pieached  to  sinners,  they  have  innu- 
merable diversions  and  reliefs  at  hand  to  shield  them- 
selves from  its  terror  and  efficacy.  They  betake  them- 
selves to  the  promises  of  sin  itself,  or  the  purposes  of 
future  amendment;  or  else  the  various  occupations  of 
life;  they  have  other  things  to  do  than  to  attend  to  so 
unwelcome  a  voice^  at  least  it  is  not  yet  necessary. 
But  when  God  will  bring  them  to  the  mount,  all  these 
pretences  will  vanish  and  disappear;  not  one  of  them 
shall  be  able  to  suggest  the  least  relief  to  a  poor  guilty 
sinner;  his  conscience  shall  be  kept  to  that  which  he 


Vbr.  U.        epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  357 

can  neither  abide  nor  avoid.  Unless  he  can  make  the 
great  plea  of  an  interest  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  he  is 
gone  for  ever.  To  this  we  may  add,  that  God  gave 
herein  a  type  and  representation  of  the  great  judg- 
meni  at  the  last  day:  the  terror  of  it  consists  much  in 
this,  that  sinners  shall  be  able  to  see  nothing  but  God 
and  the  tokens  of  his  wrath. 

2.  It  was  a  barren  and  fruitless  desert,  where  there 
was  neither  water  nor  food;  and  answerable  thereto 
the  law,  in  a  state  of  sin,  would  bring  forth  no  fruit, 
nothing  acceptable  to  God,  nor  useful  to  men;  for 
there  was  nothing  on  Sinai,  but  bushes  and  brambles; 
whence  it  had  its  name.  These  made  an  appearance  at 
a  distance  of  some  fruitfulness,  but  when  it  came  to  be, 
hied,  there  was  nothing  but  what  was  fit  for  the  fire. 
And  so  it  is  with  all  under  the  law,  they  may  seem  to 
perform  many  duties  of  obedience;  yea,  such  as  they 
trust  to,  and  make  their  boast  of.  But  when  they  are 
brought  to  the  trial,  they  are  no  other  but  such  as  God 
speaks  of,  Isa.  xxvii,  4,  '^Who  would  set  the  briars 
and  thorns  against  me  in  battle?  I  would  go  through 
them,  I  would  burn  them  together."  Other  fruit  the 
law  will  not  bring  forth.  Nor  was  there  any  water 
in  the  desert  of  Horeb  to  make  it  fruitful;  that  which 
the  people  lived  on  was  brought  out  of  the  rock;  and 
''that  rock  was  Christ." 

§4.  ''The  fire  that  burned;"  for  so  I  rather  read  the 
words,  than  the  mount  which  "burned  with  fire." 
For  the  fire  of  itself  was  a  token  of  God's  presence, 
and  a  distinct  means  of  filling  the  people  with  dread; 
ILxod.  xix,  18,  ''The  Lord  descended  on  £he  mount 
in  fire;"  and  Deut.  iv,  12,  "God  spake  out  of  the  midst 
of  the  fire."  And  this  fire  presented  both— =-the  descent 
of  God  on  the  mount;  "The  Lord  came  down  in  fire," 
the  people  thus  seeing  the  token  of  God's  presence; 


358  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

and — the  continuance  of  his  presence  there,  for  it  con- 
tinued burning  all  the  time  God  spoke;  "he  spake  out 
of  the  fire."  And  it  was  a  flaming  fire,  which  raised 
a  smoke,  "like  the  smoke  of  a  furnace,"  Exod.  xix,  18; 
which  our  apostle  seems  to  express  by  "blackness," 
in  the  next  word.  Yea,  this  fire  flamed  and  burned 
up,  as  it  were,  "to  the  midst  of  heaven,"  Deut.  iv,  11. 
It  signifies  his  jealousij;  for  so  Moses  expounded  it; 
Deut.  iv,  24,  "For  the  Lord  your  God  is  a  consum- 
ing fire,  even  3,  jealous  God." 

This  is  the  first  thing  the  people  beheld  when  they 
came  to  the  mount.  And  when  men  under  the  law 
have  to  deal  with  God,  their  first  apprehension  of 
him  is  his  holiness  and  severity  against  sinners,  with 
his  anger  and  displeasure  against  sin.  There  the  law 
kaves  them,  and  thence  they  must  be'  consumed, 
without  relief  by  Jesus  Christ.  Until  the  law  comes, 
they  are  alive,  that  is,  at  peace,  and  in  security,  well 
satisfied  with  their  condition.  They  see  not,  tliey 
think  not  of  the  fire  that  is  ready  to  con- 
sume them;  yea,  for  the  most  part,  they  have  quite 
other  notions  of  God,  Psal.  1,  21.  Rut  when  the  law 
hath  by  its  convictions  brought  the  sinner  to  a  sense 
of  guilt  which  he  cannot  avoid,  it  represents  to  him  the 
holiness  and  severity  of  God,  with  his  indignation  and 
wrath  against  sin,  which  have  a  resemblance  of  a 
consuming  fire.  This  fills  liis  heart  wiih  dread  and 
terror,  and  makes  him  see  and  bewail  his  miserable 
undone  condition,  in  the  presence  of  infinite  holiness, 
inexorable  justice,  and  fiery  indignation.  Hence  the 
ciy  of  those  who  find  not  the  way  of  relief  will  be 
one  day,  "Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  devouring 
fire?  Who  shall  inhabit  everlasting  burning?" 

§5.  To  "fire"  the  apostle  adds  ''blackness, ^^  as  we 
render  thie  word,  attended  with  "darkness  and  tem- 


Ver.  18,  19.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  359 

pest,"  Deut  v,  22 — 24.  <•  God  spake  to  you  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  fire,  and  the  cloud,  and  the  thick  dark- 
ness," ver  22.  So  that  it  is  evident  there  was  a  mix- 
ture of  them  altogether,  Psalm  xviii,  8 — 13.  And 
nothing  can  be  conceived  of  greater  dread  and  terror, 
than  such  a  mixture  of  fire,  and  darkness,  and  tem- 
pest, which  left  nothing  of  light  to  the  fire  but  its  dread 
and  terror.* 

(rvo(J)oc)  blackness,  saith  Eustathius,  is  from  (v£0og 
Mol.  vo(poc,)  a  cloud,  m  the  Molic  dialed .  Wherefore 
the  apostle  in  this  word  might  have  respect  to  that 
"blackness,"  which  was  caused  by  the  thick  cloud 
wherein  God  descended;  Exod  xix,  9,  "I  will  come 
to  thee  in  a  '•Hluck  cloud  f  which  abode  upon  the 
mount,  ver.  16;  the  blackness  of  it  not  being  taken 
away  by  the  fire  that  was  in  it,  every  part  of  the  ap- 
pearance reserving  its  own  terror.  But  the  Syriac  and 
Arabic,  with  other  translations,  put  the  words  in  con- 
struction, and  render  them,  ihc  blackness  or  obscuri- 
ty of //le  c/ourf;"  which  probably  is  intended  in  this 
word  and  the  following. 

And  this  is  the  third  thing  in  the  progress  of  the 
work  of  the  law  on  the  consciences  of  sinners;  when 
they  are  shut  up  under  guilt,  and  begin  to  be  terrified 
with  the  representation  of  God's  severity  against  sin, 
they  cannot  but  look  to  see  il  there  be  any  thing  in 
the  manifestation  of  God  and  his  will  by  the  law  that 
will  yield  them  relief;  but  here  they  find  all  things 
covered  with  blackness  and  obscurity;  the  glory  of 

•Thus  Milton  could  conceive  of  nothing  more  dreatlful,   when  dcsurihing  the 
"place  eternal  justice  had  prepared"  for  the  rebellious,  than  the  following; 

Yet  from  those  flames 

No  light,  hut  ratlier  darkness  visible 
Served  only  to  discover  sights  of  wo. 
Regions  of  sorrow,  doleful  shades,  where  peace 

And  rest  can  never  dwell. 

I'arad.Lost,  Rook  I.  IJuc  6S; 


^0  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap  12. 

Godi,  and  his  design  of  bringing  them  to  the  law,  or  the 
law  to  them,  is  covered  under  the  veil  of  this  darkness 
which  increaseth  their  dread. 

§6.  To  this  blackness  the  apostle  adds  "darkness 
and  tempest;"  blackness  is  a  property  of  a  thing  in  it- 
self; darkness,  is  its  effect  towards  others;  what  this 
darkness  was  we  cannot  well  comprehend;  but  this  it 
teaches  us,  that  notwithstanding  the  revelation  God 
made  of  himself  in  this  dispensation  of  the  law,  he 
was,  as  to  his  glorious  purposes  of  grace  and  mercy, 
in  thick  darkness  to  the  people. 

"And  tempest ;^^  in  this  word  he  compriseth  the  thun- 
dering, lightning,  and  earthquake;  Exod,  xix,  16;  XX, 
18;  the  increased  the  terror  of  the  darkness,  and  made 
it  ('?31J7)  a  thick  darkness,  as  it  is  in  Moses. 

As  it  was  without  in  the  giving  of  the  law,  so  it  is 
within  in  the  work  of  the  law;  it  fills  the  mind  of 
men  with  a  storm,  accompanied  with  darkness  and  per- 
plexity. First,  its  work  in  the  minds  and  consciences 
of  sinners  ends  in  darkness  and  tempest;  it  brings  the 
soul  to  darkness,  that  it  knows  not  what  to  do,  nor 
how  to  take  one  step  to^vards  its  own  relief;  it  can 
see  no  light,  either  for  its  direction,  or  consolation;  and 
herein  it  either  tires  itself  with  vain  endeavors  for  re- 
lief, by  its  own  works  and  duties;  or  else  sinks  into 
heartless  despondencies  and  complaints.  And,  second- 
ly, it  raiseth  a  tempest  of  disquieting  and  perplexing 
thoughts;  oftentimes  accompanied  with  dread  and  ter- 
ror. In  this  slate  the  law  leaves  poor  sinners,  it  will 
not  accompany  them  one  step  towards  deliverance;  it 
will  neither  reveal,  nor  encourage  them  to  look  after 
any  relief;  yea,  it  declares  that  here  the  sinner  must  die 
and  perish,  for  any  thing  the  law  can  do.  This  there- 
fore is  the  place  and  season  wherein  Christ  interpos- 
eth,and  cries  to  sinners,  "Behold  me,  behold  ine!" 


Ver.  18,  19.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  361 

§7.  They  came  to  "the  sound  of  a  trumpet."  This 
is  called  ("»SU^  '^Ip)  the  voice  of  the  trumpet,  Exod.  xix, 
16 — 19;  and  was  ol  distinguifched  use  in  that  solemni- 
ty; it  is  well  rendered  by  the  apostle,  *'the  sound  of  a 
trumpet;"  for  it  was  not  a  i^eal  trumpet,  but  formed  in 
the  air  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  to  a  degree  of  terror; 
so  it  "waxed  louder  and  louder,"  to  signify  the  nearer 
approach  of  God. 

As  to  its  typical  signification — it  was  a  pledge  of  the 
(uture  jiulgmeni,  when  all  flesh  shall  be  summoned  be- 
fore the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  to  answer  the  terms  of 
the  law;  and — as  it  was  changed  in  the  following  in- 
stitution of  the  feast  of  expiation;  and  in  the  year  of 
jubilee — it  was  a  type  of  the  promulgation  of  the  gos^ 
pel  in  the  ministry  of  Christ  himself;  and  thus  are 
things  stated  in  the  consciences  of  sinners,  with  respect 
to  the  different  sounds  of  the  trumpet;  the  summons 
of  the  law  fills  them  with  dread  and  terror;  appear 
they  must  before  God,  there  is  no  avoidance;  but 
stand  before  him  they  cannot;  they  are  like  Adam, 
when  he  could  no  longer  hide  himself,  but  must  ap-^ 
pear  and  answer  for  his  transgression;  they  have  no 
refuge  to  betake  themselves  to;  the  law  condemns 
them,  they  condemn  themselves;  and  God  is  represent- 
ed as  a  judge  full  of  severity;  undeithis  dreadful  sum- 
mons of  the  law,  the  gospel  tinds  us;  which  exceeding- 
ly exalts  the  glory  of  sovereign  grace,  and  of  the  blood 
of  Christ  in  the  consciences  of  believers,  llom.  lii,   19 

§8.  Hereunto  is  added  "the  voice  of  words."  It  is 
said  that  God  spake  by  a  "tJO^ce,"  Exod.  xix,  19;  that 
is,  an  aiiicidate  z-oice,  in  the  lai.guage  of  the  people, 
that  it  might  be  understood  by  ail;  and  hence  he  is 
said  to  sjjeak 'With  the  peopk,  chap,  xx  19.  "Tlie 
Lord  spake  to  them  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and 


^eS  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

and  they  heard  his  voice,"  Deut.  iv,  12;  v,  23.  Now 
the  words  that  were  uttered  with  a  voice,  were  the 
ien  words;  or  ten  commandments,  written  afterwards 
in  two  tables  of  stone,  but  no  more,  which  all  the  peo- 
ple heard,  Deut.  v,  22. 

Wherefore  from  the  midst  of  the  dreadful  appear- 
ance of  fire, clouds,  and  darknesss  (all  other  noises  of 
thunder  and  the  trumpet  ceasing)  God  caused  a  voice, 
speaking  the  words  of  the  ten  commandments,  articu- 
lately in  their  own  language,  to  be  heard  by  the  wholfe 
congregation,  men,  women,  and  children,  in  the  sta- 
tion Vviierein  they  were  placed  at  the  foot  of  the 
mount;  and  this  voice  was  so  great  and  terrible,  as 
that  the  people  were  not  able  to  bear  it;  for  although 
it  is  evident,  that  they  were  terrified  with  the  dreadful 
appearances  on  the  mount;  yet  was  it  this  speaking 
of  God  himself  that  utterly  overwhelmed  them. 

§9.  "Which  voice  they  that  heard  entreated  that 
the  word  should  not  be  spoken  to  them  any  more." 
They  that  heard;  that  is,  the  whole  assembly  or  con- 
gregation; of  all  which,  those  that  were  above  the  age 
of  twenty  years,  and  so  able  to  understand  the  matter 
and  personally  engage  in  the  covenant,  except  two 
persons,  died  in  the  wilderness  under  the  displeasure  of 
God;  "Entreated  that  the  word  should  not  be  spoken 
to  them  any  more;  or,  that  the  speech  of  God,  should 
not  be  continued  to  them  immediately.'^  The  word 
{zupviTviffcivro)  here  rendered  '-'entreated,^''  we  express  by 
refusing,  ver.  25;  they  deprecated  the  hearing  of  the 
word  in  that  manner  any  more;  which  they  did  no 
doubt  by  their  officers  and  elders;  for  both  themselves 
being  terrified,  and  observing  the  dread  of  the  whole 
congregation,  they  made  request  for  themselves  and 
the  rest  to  Moses;  and  because  they  did  it  with  a  good 


Ver.  18,19.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  363 

intention,  out  of  reverence  for  the  majesty  of  God, 
without  any  design  of  declining  obedience,  it  was  ac- 
cepted, Deut.  V,  28,  29. 

§10.  (II.)  Hence  we  may  observe; 

1.  A  view  of  God  as  a  judge,  represented  in  fire  and 
blackness,  will  fill  the  souls  of  convinced  sinners  with 
dread  and  terror;  how  secure  soever  they  may  be  at 
present,  when  God  calls  them  forth  to  the  mount  their 
hearts  cannot  endure,  nor  can  their  hands  be  strong. 

2.  When  God  calls  sinners  to  answer  the  law,  there 
is  no  avoiding  of  an  appearance;  the  terrible  sum- 
mons and  citation  will  draw  them  out,  whether  they 
will  or  no. 

3.  It  is  a  blessed  change  to  be  removed  from  the 
summons  of  the  law,  to  the  invitation  of  the  gospel; 
and  from  the  guilt  of  sin  to  mercy  and  pardon;  he  that 
shall  compare  the  terrible  citation  of  sinners  before  the 
throne  of  God,  to  receive  and  answer  the  law,  with 
those  sweet,  gracious,  heavenly  invitations,  with  proc- 
lamations of  grace  and  mercy,  given  by  Christ  in  the 
gospel.  Matt,  xi,  27,  28;  may  apprehend  the  difference 
of  the  two  states  here  insisted  on. 

4.  Let  no  man  ever  hope  to  appear  before  God  with 
confidence  or  peace,  unless  he  can  have  an  answer  in 
readiness  for  all  the  words  of  this  law;  and  they  wlio 
suppose  they  have  any  other  answer,  but  the  substitu- 
tion of  the  surety  of  the  covenant  in  our  stead,  with 
an  interest  by  faith  in  his  meditation,  blood,  and  sac- 
rifice, will  be  eternally  deceived. 

§11.   Observe  moreover; 

1.  No  outward  privilege,  such  as  this  was,  to  hear 
the  voice  of  God  is  sufficient  of  itself  to  preserve  men 
from  such  rebellion  and  sinful  provocation  as  shall 
render  them  obnoxious  to  divine  displeasure. 

2.  Then  is  the  sinner  utterly   overwhelmed,  when 
VOL.  IV.  46 


364  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

he  hath  a  sense  of  the  voice  of  God  himself  in  the  law; 
when  he  finds  God  himself  speaking  to  his  conscience^ 
he  can  no  longer  bear  it. 

3.  That  the  speaking  of  the  law  immediately  dis-, 
covers  the  invincible  necessity  of  a  mediator  between 
God  and  sinners.  The  people  quickly  found  that  there 
was  no  dealing  with  God  in  their  own  persons,  and 
therefore  desired  that  there  might  be  one  to  mediate 
between  God  and  them.     And, 

4.  If  the  giving  of  the  law  was  so  full  of  terrors,, 
that  the  people  could  not  bear  it,  but  apprehended  they 
must  die  if  God  continued  to  speak  it  to  them;  what 
will  be  the  execution  of  its  curse  in  a  way  of  vengean<je 
at  the  last  day! 


VERSES  20,  21. 
For  they  could  not  endure  that  which  ivas  commanded;  and  if  so 
much  as  a  beast  touch  the  mountain,  it  shall  be  stoned,  or  thrust 
thr07igh  with  a  dart;  and   so  terrible  was   the  sight,  that  Mo" 
ses  said,  I  exceediJigly  fear  and  quake. 

$1.  Introduction.  §2.  The  terror  of  the  law  illustrated  from  the  interdict 
about  touching  the  mountain.  §3;  Farther  illustrated  from  the  consternation 
of  Moses.    §4.  Observation. 

§1.  For  they  could  not  endure  that  which  was 
commanded,"  that  is,  the  law  itself;  they  could  not 
endure  it;  they  could  not  bear  it,  or  stand  under  it; 
there  was  administered  with  it  a  spirit  of  bondage  to 
fear,  Rom.  viii,  15;  which  aggravated  the  terror  of  it 
in  their  consciences. 

These  are  the  effects  which  a  due  apprehension  of 
the  nature,  end,  and  use  of  the  law,  which  the  severity 
of  God  therein,  will  produce  in  the  minds  and  con- 
sciences of  sinners.  Thus  far  the  law  will  bring  us; 
and  here  it  leaves  us;  here  are  we  shut  up;  there  is  no 
avoiding  of  its  power,  sentence,  and  sanction;  it  is  given 


Ver.  20,  21.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         365 

by  God  himself;  the  sinner  could  wish  that  he 
might  never  hear  more  of  it;  what  is  past  against  this 
law,  cannot  be  answered  for;  what  is  to  come  cannot 
be  complied  with;  hereon  they  ftnd  themselves  utterly 
lost,  and  so  have  no  expectation  but  of  fiery  indigna- 
tion to  consume  them;  and  accordingly  they  must 
eternally  perish,  if  they  betake  not  themselves  to  the 
only  relief,  Christ  the  Savior. 

§2.  Of  this  terror  from  the  giving  of  the  law,  and 
the  causes  of  it,  the  apostle  gives  a  double  illustration; 
the  first  whereof  is  the  interdict  given  against  touch- 
ing the  mount;  which  extended  to  the  very  beasts; 
"And  if  so  much  as  a  beast  touch  the  mountain;"  so 
was  the  divine  constitution;  "whether  it  be  beast  or 
man,  it  shall  not  live,"  Exod.  xix,  13;  I  doubt  not  but 
that  Divine  Providence  removed  from  it  such 
brute  creatures  as  were  not  under  the  power  of  men, 
such  as  might  be  wild  about  those  mountainous  des- 
erts, or  else  the  fire  consumed  them  to  the  least  creep- 
ing thing;  but  the  2^rohibition  respects  the  cattle  of  the 
people,  which  were  under  their  power,  and  at  their 
disposal;  and  this  (besides  being  an  illustration  of  the 
absolute  inaccessibleness  of  God  by  the  law)  seems  to 
intimate  the  uncleanness  of  all  things  which  sinners 
possess,  by  their  relation  to  them.  To  the  impure  all 
things  are  impure  and  defiled;  therefore  doth  the 
prohibition  extend  itself  to  the  beasts  also. 

The  punishment  of  a  beast  touching  the  mount, 
was,  that  it  should  die;  and  it  is  expressed  in  the  pro- 
hibition, that  no  hand  should  touch  that  which  had 
offended;  it  was  to  be  slain  at  a  distance  with  stones 
or  darts;  no  hand  was  ever  more  to  touch  it;  either,  to 
relieve  it,  which  may  be  the  sense  of  the  word;  or  to 
da?j  it,  lest  it  were  defiled  thereby;  and  this  also  shew- 
eth,  at  what  a  distance  we  ought  to  keep  ourselves 
from  every  thing  that  falls  under  the  curse  of  the  law. 


366  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1$, 

§3.  The  second  evidence  which  he  gives  of  the 
dreadful  promulgation  of  the  law,  and  consequently 
of  the  miserable  state  of  them  that  are  under  its  power, 
is  on  what  befell  Moses  on  this  occasion;  the  effect  of 
this  terror  extendeth  itself  to  the  meanest  of  beasts,  and 
to  the  best  of  men;  Moses  was  a  person  holy,  and 
abounding  in  grace  above  all  others  of  his  time;  the 
meekest  man  on  the  earth;  he  was  accustomed  to  di- 
vine revelations,  and  had  once  before  beheld  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  Divine  presence  Exod.  iii;  he  was  the 
internuntius,  the  mediatory  messenger,  between  God 
and  the  people  at  that  time;  yet  would  none  of  these 
privileges  exempt  him  from  an  amazing  sense  of  the 
terror  of  the  Lord  in  giving  the  law;  and  if  on  all 
these  advantages  he  could  not  bear  it,  much  less  can 
any  other  man  do  so;  the  Mediator  himself  of  the  old 
covenant  was  not  able  to  sustain  the  dread  and  ter- 
ror of  the  law;  how  desperate  then  are  their  hopes 
who  w^ould  yet  be  saved  by  Moses! 

This  expression  was,  "I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake," 
or  tremble;  that  he  said  so,  we  are  assured  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  this  place;  they  were  undoubtedly 
spoken  then  and  there  (though  not  recorded  in  the 
sacred  story,)  hence  it  is  said,  that  he  spake,  but  not 
one  word  is  added  of  what  he  did  speak;  Exod.  xix, 
19,  "And  when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  sounded 
long,  and  waxed  louder  and  louder,  Moses  spake  and 
God  answered  him  by  a  voice;"  then  no  doubt  he 
spoke  these  words;  for  it  was  immediately  upon  his 
sight  of  the  dreadful  appearance,  to  which  season  the 
apostle  assigns  them. 

It  is  said,  moreover,  that  God  answered  him  with  a 
voice;  but  what  he  said  to  him  is  not  recorded. 
Doubtless,  God  spoke  what  gave  him  relief,  which 


Ver.  22—24.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  367 

delivered  him  out  of  his  distress,  and  reduced  him  to  a 
frame  of  mind  meet  for  the  ministration  committed  to 
him,  which  in  his  surprisal  and  consternation  he  was 
not;  and  therefore  immediately  afterwards,  when  the 
people  fell  into  their  great  horror  and  distress,  he  was 
able  to  relieve  and  comfoit  them,  no  doubt,  with  that 
kind  of  relief  which  he  himself  had  received  from  God, 
Exod.  XX,  20.      It  appears  then  that, 

§4.  Obs.  All  persons  concerned  were  brought  to  an 
utter  distress  by  the  renovation  and  giving  of  the  law, 
from  whence  no  relief  is  to  be  obtained  but  by  him 
alone  who  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  all 
that  believe. 


VERSES  22-*24. 
But  you  are  come  unto  Moimt  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  liv- 
ing Goclf  the  heavenly  Jerusalem^  and  to  an  innumerable  coni- 
fiany  of  ant^-ls.,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first- 
born, which  are  -ivritten  i7i  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all^ 
and  to  the  ahirits  of  just  men  made  fierfcct^  and  to  Jesus  the 
Alediator  of  the  new  covenant^  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling 
that  sfiealcpch  better  things  than  that  of  Abel. 

$1.  The  state  of  t!ie  church  under  the  gospel.  A  rule  of  interpretation.  §2. 
(1  )  Believers  are  come  to  luoiiiit  Sioii.  ^S,  4.  Tlie  city  of  the  living  God. 
^5.  The  company  of  ange  s.  \C.  Iiifei-ences.  §7.  The  general  assembly  and 
church,  §8.  Of  tiie  first-born,  written  in  heaven.  JO.  To  tiod  the  Judge  of 
all.  10.  To  the  spirits  ofjust  men  nindo  peifect  11  To  Jesus  the  Media- 
tor of  the  new  ccvenant  ^I'i.  The  blood  of  sprinkling-.  <;13  That  speaketh 
better  thnigs  than  Abel's.  §14,  How  mc  come  to  lliese  things.  §15-  17.  (II.) 
Observations. 

§1.  J.  HIS  is  the  second  part  of  the  comparison.  In 
the.  former  he  gave  an  account  of  the  state  of  the  peo- 
ple and  tlie  church  under  the  /aa',  from  the  giving  of 
it,  and  the  nature  of  its  commands.  In  this  he  so  de- 
clares the  state  to  which  they  were  called  by  the  gos- 
pel, as  to  manifest  it  to  be  incomparably  more  excef* 
lent  in  itself,  and  beneficial  to  thein. 

We  hav^e  here  a  blessed,  a  glorious  description  of 
the  Catholic  church,  as  the  nature  and  comnuuiion  of 


36S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  ij. 

it  is  revealed  undei*  the  gospel;  which  is  distributed  in^ 
to  two  parts — militant  and  iriumphant.  There  is  in 
the  religion  of  the  papists  another  part  of  the  church, 
niether  inearth  nor  in  heaven,  but  under  the  earth,  as 
they  say.  in  purgatory.  But  with  this,  they  who  come 
to  Christ  by  the  gospel  have  nothing  to  do.  They 
come  indeed  to  the  "spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect;" but  so  are  none  of  those,  by  their  own  con- 
fession, who  are  in  purgatory.  Wherefore  believers 
have  nothing  to  do  with  them. 

That  which  we  must  respect  as  our  rule  in  the  ex- 
position of  the  whole  is,  that  the  apostle  intends  a  de- 
scription of  that  state  whereunto  believers  are  called 
by  the  gospel.  For  it  is  that  alone  which  he  opposeth 
to  the  state  of  the  church  under  the  Old  Testament. 
And  to  suppose  that  it  is  the  heavenly  future  state 
which  he  intends,  is  utterly  to  destroy  the  force  of  his 
argument  and  exhortation.  For  they  are  built  solely 
on  the  pre-eminence  of  the  gospel  state,  above  that  un- 
der the  law,  and  not  of  heaven  itself,  which  none 
could  question. 

§2.  (I.)  And  first  we  are  said  to  "come  to  mount 
Sioji."  The  sum  of  the  whole  is,  that  by  the  gospel 
we  are  called  to  a  participation  of  all  the  glory  which 
was  ascribed  or  promised  to  the  church  under  those 
names,  in  opposition  to  what  the  people  received  by 
the  law  at  mount  Sinai. 

Sion  was  a  mount  in  Jerusalem,  which  had  two 
heads,  one  whereof  was  called  Moriah,  whereon  the 
temple  was  built,  whereby  it  became  the  seat  of  all  the 
solemn  worship  of  God;  and  on  the  other  was  the 
place  and  habitation  of  the  kings  of  the  house  of  Da- 
vid; botli  of  them  typical  of  Christ,  the  one  in  his 
priestly,  the  other  in  his  kingly  office. 

And  the  opposition  between  these  two  mountains  < 
was  eminent.    For  God  came  down  for  a  season  only 


Ver.  22—24.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  369     ' 

on  mount  Sinai;  but  in  Sion  be  is  said  to  chcell,  and 
to  make  it  his  iiabitation  for  ever.  He  appeared  in 
ferror  on  mount  Sinai,  as  we  liave  seen;  but  Sion  was 
in  Jerusalem,  which  is  a  "vision  oi peace. ^^  He  gave 
the  law  on  mount  Sinai;  the  gospel  went  forth  from 
Sion,  Isa.  ii,  2,  3.  He  utterly  forsook  Sinai,  and  left  it 
under  bondage;  but  Sion  is  free  for  ever.  Gal.  iv. 
The  people  were  burthened  with  the  law  at  mount 
Sinai,  with  which  burden  tliey  were  led  to  Sion,  where 
they  waited  for  deliverance  from  it,  in  the  observations 
of  those  institutions  of  divine  worship  which  were 
typical  and  significant  thereof. 

Sion  therefore  is  the  place  of  God's  special  gracious 
residence,  the  throne  of  Cl.rist  in  his  reign,  the  subject 
of  all  graces,  the  object  of  all  promises,  as  the  scripture 
abundantly  testifies.     This  is  the  first  privilege  of  be- 
lievers under  the  gospel.      They  cotne  fo  mount  Sion; 
that  is,  they  are  interested  in  all  the  promises  of  God 
made  to  Sion,  recorded  in  the  scripture;  in  all  the  lore 
and  care  of  God  expressed  towards  it;  in  all  the  spir- 
itual glories  assigned  to  it.     The  things  spoken  of  it 
were  never  accomplished  in  the  earthly  Sion;  but  typi- 
cally, spiritually,  and  in  their  reality  they  belong  to  be- 
lievers under  the  New  Testament.      All  the  jjromiseSy 
therefore,  which  were  made  of  old  to  Sion,  do  belong^ 
to  the  present  church  of  believers.     These  in  every 
condition  they  may  plead  with  God;    they  have  the 
grace,  and  shall  have  the  comfort  contained  in  them. 
There  is  the  security  and  assurance  of  their  safety, 
preservation,  and  eternal  salvation.     Hereon  depends 
their  final  deliverance  from  all  their  oppressions. 

Be  their  outward  condition  never  so  mean  and  des- 
titute; be  they  afTlicted,  persecuted,  and  despised,  yet 
all  the  glorious  things  that  are  spoken  of  Sion  are 
theirs,  and  accomplished  in  them  in  the  sight  of  Goc^, 
^loweve^  excellent  and  innumerable. 


370  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

Let  this  be  compared  with  the  people's  coming  to 
mount  Sinai,  as  before  declared,  and  the  glory  of  it 
will  be  conspicuous.  And  believers  are  to  be  admon- 
ished, to  walk  worthy  of  the  privilege,  Psalm  xv;  to 
be  thankful  for  it;  to  rejoice  in  it;  and  to  make  it  an 
effectual  motive  to  obedience  and  perseverance. 

§3.  They  are  said  to  come  "unto  the  city  of  the  liv^ 
ing  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem."  Both  these  are 
the  same.  So  Jerusalem  is  called  the  city  of  God; 
Psal.  xlvi,  4;  xlviii,  1,  8;  Ixxxvii,  3.  But  in  every 
place  with  respect  to  Sion. 

1.  They  came  to  a  city.  They  received  the  law  in 
a  wilderness,  where  they  had  neither  rest  nor  refuge. 
But  in  a  city  there  is  order,  defence,  and  safety;  it  is  the 
name  of  a  quiet  habitation. 

2.  This  was  the  city  of  God.  The  state  of  the 
church  under  the  New  Testament  hath  the  safety,  and 
beautiful  order  of  a  city,  the  city  of  God;  the  only  city 
which  he  takes  peculiarly  to  be  his  own  in  this  world. 
It  is  his  on  account  of  propriety' ;  he  framed  it,  he  built 
it,  it  is  his  own;  no  creature  can  lay  claim  to  it,  or  any 
part  of  it.  And  those  who  usurp  a  dominion  over  it, 
shall  answer  to  him  for  their  usurpation.  It  is  his  on 
account  of  inhabitation;  for  he  dwelleth  in  it,  and  in 
it  alone>  by  his  gracious  presence.  It  is  under  God's 
rule,  as  its  only  sovereign.  Therein  he  disposeth  all 
his  children  to  a  spiritual  society.  So  Paul  tells  the 
Ephesians,  that  by  grace  they  were  delivered  from  be- 
ing strangers  and  foreigners,  and  made  fellow  citizens 
with  the  saints,  and  the  household  of  God,  Ephes. 
ii,  19. 

3.  The  apostle  adds  a  property  of  God  of  great 
consideration  in  this  matter.  It  is  "the  city  of  the  liv- 
ing God;"  that  is,  of  the  true  and  only  God.  Of  him 
who  is  omnipotent,  able  to  keep  and  preserve  his  own 


Ver.  22—24.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  37I 

city,  as  having  all  life,  and  consequently  all  power  in 
himself.  Of  him  who  lives  eternally,  and  with  whom 
we  shall  live,  when  we  shall  be  no  more  here. 

4.  This  city  of  the  living  God,  is  the  heavenly  Jeru- 
salem. And  the  apostle  herein  prefers  the  privileges  of 
the  gospel,  not  only  above  what  the  people  were  made 
partakers  of  at  Sinai  in  the  wilderness;  but  also  above 
all  that  afterwards  they  enjoyed  in  Jerusalem  in  the 
land  of  Canaan.  For  in  the  glory  and  privileges  of 
that  city  the  Hebrews  greatly  boasted.  But  the  apos- 
tle casts  that  city,  in  the  state  wherein  it  then  was,  into 
the  same  condition  with  mount  Sinai  in  Arabia,  that  is, 
under  bondage,  Gal.  iv,  25;  and  he  opposeth  thereto 
that  Jerusalem  which  is  above,  that  is,  this  heavenly 
Jerusalem.  And  it  is  called  heavenly;  because,  as  a 
city,  it  is  not  of  this  world;  because  no  small  part  of  its 
inhabitants  are  already  actually  instated  in  heaven; 
because  as  to  its  state  on  earth,  it  comes  down  from 
heaven.  Rev.  xxi,  2,  3;  that  is,  hath  its  original  from 
divine  authority  and  institution;  because  the  portion 
and  inheritance  of  all  its  inhabitants  lie  in  heaven:  be- 
cause the  spiritual  life  and  graces  of  all  that  belong  to 
it  are  heavenly;  and,  finally,  because  their  [vohilsvf^ci) 
city  conversation,  is  in  heaven. 

§4.  And  we  may  yet  a  little  farther  represent  the 
glory  of  this  privilege,  in  the  ensuing  remarks: 

1 .  A  city  is  the  only  place  of  rest,  peace,  safety, 
and  honor,  among  men  in  this  world.  To  all  these, 
in  the  spiritual  sense,  we  are  brought  by  the  gospel. 
Whilst  men  are  under  the  law,  they  are  at  Sinai,  in  a 
wilderness  where  there  are  none  of  these  things,  The 
souls  of  sinners  can  fmd  no  place  of  rest  or  safety  under 
the  law.  But  we  have  all  these  things  by  the  gospel. 
Rest  in  Christ,  peace  with  God,  order  in  the  commun- 

VOL.  IV.  47 


372  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12-, 

ion  of  faith,  safety  in  divine  protection,  and  honor  in 
our  relation  to  God  in  Christ. 

2.  The  greatest  and  most  glorious  city  which  is,  or 
ever  was  in  the  world,  is  the  city  of  this  or  that  man 
who  hath  power  or  dominion  in  it.  The  gospel  church 
is  the  city  of  the  living  God;  and  it  is  ten  thousand 
times  more  glorious  to  be  a  citizen  thereof  than  of  the 
greatest  city  in  the  world.  To  be  a  citizen  of  the  city 
of  God,  is  to  be  free,  to  be  honorable,  to  be  safe,  to 
have  a  certain  habitation,  and  a  blessed  inheritance. 

3.  God  dwells  in  the  church  of  believers.  The 
great  king  inhabits  his  own  city.  Herein  is  the  spe- 
cial residence  of  his  glory  and  majesty.  He  built  it, 
framed  it  for  himself,  and  says  concerning  it,  "There 
will  I  dwell,  and  this  shall  be  my  habitation  for  ever." 
And  it  is  no  small  privilege  to  dwell  with  God  in  his 
own  city.  The  name  of  this  city  is  '^Jehovah  Sham^ 
mah,"  the  Lord  is  there,  Ezek.  xlviii,  35. 

4.  The  privileges  of  this  city  of  God  are  heavenly^ 
it  is  the  '^heavenly  Jerusalem."  Thence  it  is  that  the 
world  knows  them  not,  values  them  not. 

§5.  In  the  next  place  the  apostle  affirms,  that  be- 
lievers are  come  to  "an  innumerable  company  of  an- 
gels;" {ixvpiaai  ayyeKuv)  to  myriads  of  angels.  A  myr- 
iad is  ten  thousand,  and  when  it  is  used  in  the  plural 
number,  it  signifies  an  innumerable  company,  as  we 
here  render  it.  Possibly  he  hath  respect  to  the  angels 
that  attended  the  presence  of  God  in  the  giving  of  the 
law,  whereof  the  Psalmist  says;  "The  chariots  of  God 
are  twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels; 
the  Lord  is  among  them  as  in  Sinai  in  the  holy  place," 
Psal.  Ixviii,  17;  or  the  account  of  them  given  by  Dan- 
iel; "Thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him;" 
chap,  vii,  10;  that  is  an  innumerable  company. 


Ver.  22—24.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  .373 

This  access  to  angels  is  spiritual.  The  access  of  the 
people  to  their  ministry  in  Sinai  was  corporeal  only; 
nor  had  they  any  communion  with  them  thereby; 
but  ours  is  spiritual,  in  virtue  of  the  recapitulation  of 
them  and  us  in  Christ,  Ephes.  i,  10;  they  and  we  are 
brought  into  one  mystical  body,  whereof  Christ  is  the 
head;  one  family  which  is  in  heaven  and  earth,  called  af- 
ter  his  name,  Ephes.  iii,  14,  15;  we  are  brought  together 
into  one  society;  they  and  we  are  constantly  engaged 
in  the  same  worship  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  they  call 
themselves  our  fellow  servants.  This  God  hath  given 
in  command  to  them  as  well  as  to  us.  For  he  saith, 
*'Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him,"  chap,  i,  6; 
which  they  accordingly  do,  Rev.  v,  11,  12. 

Besides;  there  is  a  ministry  committed  to  them  for 
the  service  of  the  church,  chap,  i,  14;  and  the  fear  and 
dread  of  their  ministry  is  now  taken  from  us,  which 
was  so  great  under  the  Old  Testament,  that  those  to 
whom  they  appeard  thought  they  must  die  immedi- 
ately. There  is  therefore  a  perfect  reconciliation  be- 
tween the  church  on  earth  and  the  angels  above;  the 
distance  and  enmity  occasioned  by  sin  is  taken  away, 
Col.  i,  20.  There  is  a  oneness  in  design,  and  a  com- 
munion in  service  between  them  and  us;  as  we  rejoice 
in  their  happiness  and  glory,  so  they  seek  ours  contin- 
ually; their  ascription  of  praise  and  glory  to  God,  is 
mingled  with  the  praises  of  the  church,  so  as  to  com- 
pose an  intire  worship,   Rev.  v,  9 — 12. 

Wherefore  by  Jesus  Christ  we  have  a  blessed  ac- 
cess to  this  innumerable  company  of  angels.  Those 
who,  by  reason  of  our  fall  from  God,  and  the  first 
entrance  of  sin,  had  no  regard  to  us,  but  to  execute 
the  vengeance  of  God  against  us,  represented  by  the 
cherubims  with  the  flaming  sicord  (for  hemakethhis 
angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  a  flame  of  fire)  to  keep 


374  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13, 

man,  when  he  had  sinned,  out  of  Eden,  and  from  the 
tree  of  life,  Gen,  iii.  24;  those,  whose  ministry  God 
made  use  of  in  giving  the  law,  to  fill  the  people  with 
dread  and  terror;  those,  I  say,  are  now  in  Christ 
become  one  mystical  body  with  the  church,  and  now 
associates  in  design  and  service.  And  this  may  well 
be  esteemed  an  eminent  privilege  which  we  receive  by 
the  gospel. 

§6.  And  if  this  be  so,  then  we  may  infer, 

1.  The  church  is  the  safest  society  in  the  world.  A 
kingdom  it  is,  a  city,  a  family,  an  house,  which  the 
power  of  hell  and  the  world  can  never  prevail  against. 
Nor  are  these  boasting  words,  (whatever  distressed 
condition  it  may  be  in,  in  this  world)  but  the  faithful 
sayings  of  God.  Let  us  not  fear  the  ruin  of  the  church, 
whilst  there  is  an  innumerable  company  of  angels  be- 
longing to  it. 

2.  It  is  the  most  honorable  society  in  the  world;  for 
all  the  angels  of  heaven  belong  to  it.  This  poor,  des- 
picable, persecuted  church,  consisting  for  the  most 
part  of  such  as  are  contemned  in  the  world,  is  ad- 
mitted to  the  society  of  all  the  holy  angels  in  heaven,  in 
the  worship  and  service  of  Christ. 

3.  And  we  may  see  hence  the  folly  of  that  volun- 
tary humility  in  the  worshipping  of  angels,  which  the 
apostle  condemns,  and  which  is  openly  practised  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  They  worship  those  who  are  only 
the  fellow  servants  of  true  believers. 

4.  It  is  the  highest  madness  for  any  one  to  pretend 
himself  to  be  the  head  of  the  church,  as  the  Pope  doth, 
unless  he  assume  also  to  himself  to  be  the  head  of  all 
the  angels  in  heaven,  for  they  all  belong  to  the  same 
church  with  the  saints  here  below.  And  therefore 
when  mention  is  made  of  the  headship  of  Christ,  they 
are  expressly  placed  in  the  same  subjection  to  him,, 
JBphes.  i,  20—23. 


Ver.  22-24.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  375 

§7.  Another  instance  of  the  glory  of  this  state  is, 
that  thciein  believers  come  to  the  '^general  assembly 
unci  church  of  the  first-born." 

1.  Perhaps  the  words  here  used,  {%uvviyvpig  and  fKJt- 
Xv]«r/«)  are  borrowed  from  the  customs  of  those  cities, 
whose  government  was  democratical;  especially  that 
of  Athens,  whose  speech  was  the  rule  of  the  Greek 
language.  The /or ?7ier  word  was  used  for  the  so/emji 
assembly  of  all  persons  belonging  to  the  city,  where 
they  were  entertained  with  spectacles,  sacrifices,  festi- 
val solemnities,  and  laudatory  orations;  hence  (Aoyo? 
TTizvvjyupr/toc)  a  commendatory  oration.  And  therefore  the 
word  is  used  for  any  great  assembly,  as  we  here  trans- 
late it,  with  respect  to  praise  ■end  joy.  In  these  assem- 
blies no  business  of  the  state  was  transacted.  But  the 
latter  (e'^ViKvj<7ia)  was  a  meeting  of  citizens  to  determine 
affairs  which  had  a  previous  deliberation  in  the  senate. 
Hence  it  is  applied  to  signify  that  which  we  call  the 
church;  or  (^T^'p)  the  congregation;  which  is  an  as- 
sembly for  all  the  spiritual  ends  of  the  society.     But, 

2.  I  rather  think  the  apostle  hath  respect  to  the 
great  assembly  of  all  the  males  of  the  church  of  the 
Old  Testament.  This  was  a  divine  institution  to  be 
observed  three  times  a  year,  at  the  solemn  feasts  of  the 
church,  Exod.  xxxiv,  23;  Deut.  xvi,  16;  and  the  as- 
sembly of  them  was  called  the  g7'ca^  congregation, 
Psal.  xxii,  2.5;  xxxv,  18;  being  the  greatest  solemnities, 
and  the  most  glorious  in  the  whole  church;  a  matter 
of  triumph  to  them  all.     Or, 

3.  It  may  be,  regard  is  had  to  the  general  assem- 
bly of  the  whole  people  at  Sinai,  in  the  receiving  of 
the  law.  But  there  is  a  great  difference  between  those 
assemblies  and  this.  For  to  those  civil  and  political 
assemblies,  as  also  that  of  the  church,  it  was  necessary, 
that  there  should  be  a  Zoca/ meeting  of  all  belonging 


376  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  12. 

to  them;  but  the  assembly  and  church  here  intended, 
are  spiritual,  and  so  is  their  meeting  or  convention. 
There  never  was,  nor  ever  shall  be,  a  local  meeting  of 
them  all,  until  the  last  day.  At  present,  such  as  is  the 
nature  of  their  society,  such  is  their  convention;  that 
is  spiritual.  But  yet  all  that  belong  to  the  general  as- 
sembly intended,  which  is  the  seat  of  praise  and  joy, 
are  obliged  by  virtue  of  special  institution,  whilst  in 
this  world,  to  assemble  in  particular  societies, 

§8.  ^^  Of  the  first-horn  which  aretvritten  in  heaven.^"* 
There  is  no  reason  to  confine  this  expression  (as  some 
expositors  do)  to  the  apostles;  especially  since  most  of 
them  at  that  time  wtve  among  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect;  wherefore,  in  my  judgment,  the  whole 
church  of  elect  believers,  consisting  of  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, as  one  general  assembly,  is  intended,  and  which  he 
celebrates  elsewh.ere  as  one  of  the  greatest  mysteries 
of  divine  wisdom,  which  was  hidin  God  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  and  not  till  then  revealed:  See  Ephes. 
iii,  5 — 10.  This  assembly  is  described,  Rev.  v,  9,  10, 
"Thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of 
everykindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation,  and 
hast  made  us  to  our  God  kings  and  priests;"  that  is,  one 
general*  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born. 

And  their  coming  to  this  assembly  is  opposed  to 
their  coming  to  mount  Sinai;  for  therein  wasboth  (x^jv^- 
yv^ig)  general  assembly;  and  {eA'/.Xy,7ix)  a  church.  It 
was  a  general  assembly,  as  consisting  of  all  that  peo- 
ple, men,  women,  and  children;  and  it  was' a  church. 
Acts  vii,  38,  on  account  of  the  order  which  was  in  it,  in 
the  station  of  tiic  elders,  priests,  6cc.  This  therefore, 
is  the  general  assembly  of  the  first-born,  written  or 
enrolled  in  heaven;  viz.  the  elect  of  God  called,  a.;d 
by  gratuitous  adoption  interested  in  all  the  privileges 
of  the  first-born;  that  is,  made  co-heirs  with   Christ, 


Ver.22-24,     epistle  to  THE  HEBREWS.  377 

and  heirs  of  God,  or  of  the  whole  heavenly  inherit- 
ance. But  although  this  is  comprehensive  of  them  all 
in  all  generations,  yet  bcikvers  come  in  a  peculiar 
manner  to  them  of  whom  the  church  of  God  doth 
consist,  in  the  days  of  their  profession. 

§9.  The  apostle  proceeds,  in  the  next  place,  to  mind 
us  of  the  supreme  head  of  his  holy  society;  "and  to 
God  the  judge  of  all."  It  is  not  improbable  but  that 
in  the  enumeration  of  these  glorious  privileges,  the 
apostle  makes  mention  of  the  relation  of  God  to  this 
society  and  communion,  to  beget  in  believers  a  due  rev- 
erence of  what  they  are  called  to  therein;  and  so  he 
shuts  up  his  improvement  of  this  whole  discourse. 

There  is  no  access  to  God  but  by  Jesus  Christ,  sig- 
nified by  the  severe  interdict  against  the  touching  the 
mount,  or  taking  one  step  over  its  bounds  to  gaze,  when 
the  tokens  of  his  presence  were  upon  it,  in  the  legisla- 
tion; but  also  believers  have  access  by  Christ, — "To 
the  Judge  of  all.''''  This  may  not  seem  a  privilege^ 
for  it  is  the  lot  of  all  men  to  appear  before  his  judg- 
ment seat:  but  it  is  one  thing  to  be  brought  before  a 
judge  to  be  tried,  and  sentenced  as  criminals;  another 
to  have  a  favorable  access  to  him,  as  our  necessities 
require;  and  such  is  the  access  hcie  intended. 

But  to  this  access  there  are  previously  required,  the 
pardon  of  our  sins,  the  justification  of  our  persons,  and 
the  sanctification  of  our  natures,  without  which  no  man 
can  behold  God  as  a  judge,  but  to  his  confusion;  be- 
hold, then,  how  great  is  the  privilege  of  that  state, 
which  we  are  called  to  by  the  gospel;  ^vhich  gives  us 
such  a  sense  and  assurance  of  our  pardon,  adoption, 
justification,  and  sanctification,  as  that  we  may  with 
boldness  come  to  the  judge  of  all  on  his  throne! 

§10.  It  followeth  in  the  next  place,  that  we  are 
<-comc  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.''    The 


378  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap  12. 

just  men  intended,  were  all  those  whose  faith  he  had 
declared,  chap,  xi;  with  all  others  of  the  same  sort,  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world;  and  in  following  their  ex- 
ample, whilst  they  were  on  the  earth,  we  are  admitted 
to  communion  with  them  now  they  are  in  heaven. 

The  spirits  of  just  men  are  said  to  be  made  perfect, 
to  be  consummated;  and  herein  three  things  are  in- 
cluded; the  end  of  the  race  wherein  they  had  been  en- 
gaged; the  race  of  faith  and  obedience  with  all  the  dif- 
ficulties, duties,  and  temptations  belonging  thereto;  a 
perfect  deliverance  from  all  sin,  sorrow,  trouble,  labor^ 
and  temptation,  which  in  this  life  they  were  exposed 
to;  and,  the  enjoyment  of  the  reward;  for  it  is  not 
consistent  with  the  righteousness  of  God,  to  defer  it 
after  the  whole  course  of  their  obedience  is  accomplish- 
ed. This  consummation  they  have  in  the  presence  of 
God,  according  to  their  capacity,  before  the  resurrec- 
tion, there  being  nothing  wanting  to  them  but  the  re- 
ception of  their  bodies  in  a  state  of  glory.  Though 
they  are  made  perfect,  ytt  they  are  but  spirits. 

And  here  we  have  a  clear  prospect  into  this  part  of 
the  invisible  world;  the  state  of  the  souls  of  just  men 
departed.  For  it  is  declared,  that  they  subsist, acting 
their  intellectual  powers  and  faculties.  For  how  could 
we  come  to  them  that  are  not,  or  are  without  the  ex- 
ercise of  their  essential  powers  and  faculties?  They  are 
in  the  presence  of  God.  For  in  our  access  to  God  '-the 
judge  of  all,"  we  come  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  who  must  be  in  his  presence;  so  in  his  pres- 
ence, as  to  be  in  conjunction  witli  the  holy  angels  in 
the  temple  worship  of  heaven.  They  live  in  the  same 
love  of  God  which  animates  the  whole  catholic  church 
below;  they  jom  with  it  in  the  ascriptions  of  the  same 
praises  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  have  a  concernment 
in  the  church  militant,  as  belonging  to  that  mystical 


Ver22^^4.      epistle  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  379 

body  of  Christ  wherein  thcmseh'cs  are  sharers.  Again; 
they  are  consummated,  or  made  perfect,  freed  from  all 
sins,  fears,  dangers,  temptations,  clogs  of  the  flesh,  and 
obnoxiousness  to  death.  Their  faith  is  heightened 
into  vision,  and  all  their  graces  elevated  into  glory. 

§11.  The  apostle  proceeds  to  the  immediate  spring 
and  centre  of  all  this  catholic  commuuion;  "Jesus,  the 
mediator  of  the  new  covenant."  He  calls  him  here 
by  the  name  of  "Je.9its,"  which  is  significant  of  his  sav- 
ing the  church;  which  he  doth  as  mediator  of  the 
new  cove  nant,  chap,  ix,  15 — 17,  &c. 

He  is  here  mentioned  in  opposition  to  Moses,  who, 
as  to  the  general  nature  and  notion  of  the  word,  was 
a  mediator,  or  middle  agent  between  God  and  the 
people.     But  as  to  the  special  nature  of  the   media- 
tion of  Jesus  he  had  no  interest  in  it.     He  was  not  the 
surety  of  the  covenant  to  God  on  the  people's   part. 
He  did  not  confirm  the  covenant  by  his  own  death. 
He  did  not  offer  himself  in  sacrifice  to  God,  as   Jesus 
did;  but  as  an  iniernuntlus,  to   declare  the  mind    of 
God  to  the  people,  he  was  a  mediator  appointed  by 
God,  and  chosen  by  the  people  themselves,  Exod.  xx. 
To  him  as  such  the   people  came.     They   were  all 
^'baptised  into  Moses,  in  the  cloud  and  in   tlie   sea," 
1  Cor,  X,  2.     In  opposition  hereto,  believers  come  to 
''Jesus,  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant;"  which  in- 
cludes an  interest  in  that  new  covenant,  and   all   the 
benefits   of  it.      Whatever,  therefore,   is   of  mercy, 
grace,  or  glory,  piepared  in  the  new  covenant,  and  its 
promise's,  we  are  made  partakers  of  it  all,  by  our   ac- 
cess to  Christ,  the  mediator  of  it.     And  whereas  be*^ 
fore  he  had  evidenced  from  the  scripture  how  much 
tnore  excellent  this  covenant  is,  than  that  made   with 
the  people  at  Sinai;  there  is  a  peculiar  force  in  it  to 
persuade  them  to  steadfastness  in  tlie  profession  of  the 
VOL.  rv.  48 


380  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  i:2. 

gospel,  which  is  aimed  at  in  all  these  divine  reason- 
ings. 

§12.  Again,  the  most  signal  instance  wherein  the 
Lord  Jesus  exercised  and  executed  his  office  of  medi- 
ation on  earth,  was  the  shedding  of  his  blood  for  the 
confirmation  of  the  covenant,  wliereofhe  was  the  me- 
diator; hence  it  is  added,  "And  to  the  blood  of  sprink- 
Ungf''  so  called,  no  doubt,  in  aliusion  to  all  the  various 
typical  sprinklings  of  blood  by  divine  institution  un- 
der the  Old  Testament.  But  whereas  it  is  immedi- 
ately annexed  to  the  mention  of  him,  as  "mediator  of 
the  new  covenant,"  it  especially  respects  the  sprinkling 
of  the  blood  wherewith  the  covenant  at  mount  Horeb 
was  confirmed.  As  that  old  covenant  was  ratified 
and  confirmed  by  the  mediator  of  it,  with  the  sprink- 
ling of  the  blood  of  sacrificed  oxen;  so  the  new  cove- 
nant was  confirmed  by  tlie  blood  of  the  mediator  him- 
self of  the  new  covenant  offered  in  sacrifice  to  God. 

Wherefore  the  blood  of  Christ,  is  called,  "the  hlood 
of  sprinkling,^'  with  respect  to  the  application  of  it  to 
believers,  as  to  all  the  ends  and  effects  for  which  it  was 
offered  in  sacrifice  to  God;  and  to  be  sprinkled  with 
the  blood  of  it,  is  to  have  tlie  expiating  and  cleansing 
efficacy  of  it  applied  to  us;  see  chap,  i,  3;  ix,  14,  with 
the  Exposition. 

§13.  "That  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of 
Abel."  It  speaks;  it  hath  a  voice;  it  pleads;  and  this 
must  be  either  with  God  or  man.  But  whereas  it  is 
the  blood  of  a  sacrifice,  whose  object  was  God,  to  him 
it  speaks. 

1.  It  spe?iks  good  things  absolutely.  To  "speak" 
here  is  to  call  for,  cry  for,  plead  for;  it  speaks  to  God 
by  virtue  of  the  everlasting  compact  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  in  his  undertaking  the  work  of 
mediation;  it  speaks  for  the  communication  of  all  the 


Ver.  22-24.    EPISTLE  TO  THE   HEBREWS.  SSI 

good  things  of  the  covenant  in  mercy,  grace,  and  glo- 
ry, to  the  church.  It  did  so  when  it  was  shed,  and  it 
continues  to  do  so  in  his  intercessory  presentation  of  it 
in  heaven. 

2.  It  speaks  good  things  comparatively;  ''better 
things  than  that  of  Abel."  It  is  expressly  recorded, 
that  Abel's  own  blood,  after  it  was  shed,  did  speak, 
cry,  and  plead  for  vengeance,  or  the  punishment  of 
the  murderer.  So  speaks  God  himself:  "The  voice  of 
thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground," 
Gen.  iv,  10.  The  ground  of  the  comparison  used  by 
the  apostle  is  plainly  this;  that  whereas  the  blood  of 
Christ  was  shed  by  their  'wicked  hands,  even  as  Abel's 
was  by  the  hands  of  Cain,  the  consideration  of  that 
might  cast  many  of  the  Jews  who  were  consenting 
thereto  into  Cain's  desperation;  he  seasonably  shews, 
that  the  blood  of  Christ  (as  the  blood  of  the  covenant) 
never  cried  as  Abel's  did,  for  vengeance  on  them  by 
whom  it  was  shed,  but  pleaded  their  pardon;  so  speak- 
ing things  quite  of  another  nature  than  did  that  of 
Abel.  This,  therefore,  is  the  plain,  obvious,  and  only 
true  sense  of  the  place. 

§14.  Our  last  inquiry  on  these  words  is;  How  nze 
come  to  all  these  things?  I  answer, 

1.  Theo7%i;ia/ of  this  communion,  the  framer  of 
this  society,  is  God  himself,  even  the  Father,  in  a  pe- 
culiar manner.  Therefore  doth  our  admission  into  it 
arise  from,  and  depend  upon  that  peculiar  act  of  his, 
^^eledion,^'  Ephes.  i,  3,  4. 

2.  The  only  means  of  an  actual  admission  into  this 
society  is,  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  person  and  mediation. 
For  although  the  elect  angels  be  not  redeemed  and 
justified  by  him,  as  we  are,  yet  iht^w  station  in  this  so- 
ciety is  from  him,  Ephes.  i,  10.     Wherefore, 

3.  The  means  on  our  part,   whereby  we  come  to 


38iB  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

this  state  and  society,  is,  faith  in  Christ.  Hereby  we 
come  to  himj  and  coming  to  him  he  makes  us  free  cit- 
izens of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem. 

If  this  only  true  notion  of  the  catholic  church  were 
recceived  as  it  ought  to  be,  it  would  cast  contempt  on 
all  those  contets  about  the  church,  which  at  this  day 
so  perplex  the  world.  He  who  is  first  enstated  by 
faith  on  the  person  and  mediation  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  this  heavenly  society,  will  be  guided  by  the 
light  and  privileges  of  it  into  such  ways  of  divine  wor- 
ship in  churches  here  below,  as  shall  cause  him  to  im- 
prov'C  and  grow  in  his  interest  in  that  above.  And  he 
who  is  not  admitted  into  this  society,  let  him  be  in  th& 
bosom,  or  at  the  head  of  all  the  churches  in  the  world, 
it  will  be  of  no  advantage  to  him. 

§15.  (H.)  From  the  above  representation  of  things 
observe: 

1 .  All  pleas  about  church  order,  power,  rights,  and 
privileges,  are  useless,  where  men  are  not  interested  in 
the  Sioii  sta'e. 

2.  It  is  our  duty  well  to  consider  what  sort  of  per- 
sons they  ought  to  be,  who  are  meet  to  be  denizens  of 
this  city  of  God. 

3.  The  revelation  of  the  glorious  mystery  of  this 
general  assembly  is  one  of  the  most  excellent  pre-em- 
inences of  the  gospel  above  the  law.  A  mystery  it 
was  of  divine  wisdom  hid  in  God  from  the  beginning; 
txut  now  shining  out  in  its  beauty  and  glory.  An  in- 
terest, therefore,  herein  is  well  proposed  by  the  apostle 
as  one  eminent  privilege  of  believers. 

4.  All  the  right  and  title  of  believers,  under  the  Old 
Testament  to  sonship,  or  the  right  of  the  first-born, 
arose  merely  from  their  interest  in  him,  and  participa- 
tion of  him,  who  is  absolutely  so.  All  things  are  theirs, 
b3caus3  they  are  Christ's,  1  Cor.  iii,  22,  23.     Without. 


Ver.  22—24.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        383 

this,  whatever  are  our  outward  enjoyments  and  priv- 
ileges, whatever  place  of  dignity  we  may  hold  in  the 
visible  professing  church;  we  have  neither  lot  nor  por- 
tion in  things  spiritual  and  eternal. 

5.  It  is  a  glorious  privilege  to  be  brought  to  this 
blessed  society,  this  general  assembly  of  the  first-born; 
and  as  such  it  is  here  proposed.  And  we  shall  find  it 
so,  if  we  consider  what  company,  society,  and  assem- 
bly we  belong  to  without  it;  for  this  is  no  other  than 
that  of  devils  and  the  wicked  seed  of  the  serpent. 

6.  If  we  are  come  to  this  assembly,  it  is  our  duty 
carefully  to  behave  ourselves  as  becometh  the  members 
of  this  society. 

7.  All  contests  about  church  order,  state,  interest, 
power,  with  whom  the  church  is,  &c.  are  all  vain, 
empty,  and  unprofitable,  among  those  who  cannot  evi- 
dence that  they  belong  to  this  general  assembly. 

8.  Eternal  election  is  the  rule  of  the  dispensation  of 
effectual  grace,  to  call  and  collect  an  assembly  of  the 
first-born  to  God. 

§16.  We  may  farther  observe: 

1.  In  Jesus  Christ  believers  are  delivered  from  all 
discouraging  dread  and  terror,  in  the  consideration 
of  God  as  a  judge;  such  I  mean  as  befell  the  people  at 
Sinai  in  the  giving  of  the  lavv.  They  now  behold  all 
his  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  makes  it 
amiable  and  desirable  to  them. 

2.  Such  is  the  pre-eminence  of  the  gospel  state 
above  that  of  the  law,  that  whereas  they  of  old  were 
severely  forbid  to  make  any  aj)jiroach  to  the  outward 
signs  of  the  presence  of  God,  we  now  have  an  access 
with  boldness  to  his  throne. 

3.  As  the  greatest  miserij  of  unbelievers  is  to  be 
brought  to  the  presence  of  this  eternal  Judge,  so  it  is 
one  of  the  greatest  prir't leges  of  believers  that   they 


S84  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap  12. 

may  come  to  him.     Hence  is  that  cry  of  hypocritical 
sinners;  Isa.  xxxiii,  14,  ''Who  among  us,"  &c. 

4.  Believers  have  an  access  to  God,  as  the  judge  of 
all,  with  all  their  causes  and  complaints.  As  such  he 
will  hear  them,  plead  their  cause  and  judge  for  them. 
However  they  may  be  here  oppressed,  in  or  out  of  the 
courts  of  men,  the  Judge  of  all  will  at  all  times  receive 
their  appeals,  and  do  tliem  right.  This  liberty  no 
man  can  deprive  them  of;  it  is  purchased  for  them 
by  Christ;  and  make  their  oppressions  unsafe  to  the 
greatest  of  ihe  sons  of  men.     Wherefore, 

5.  However  dangerous  and  dreadful  the  outward 
state  of  the  church  may  be  at  any  time  in  the  world, 
it  may  secure  itself  of  final  success;  because  therein 
God  is  judge  alone,  to  whom  they  have'  free  access. 

6.  The  prospect  of  an  eternal  reward  from  God,  as 
the  righteous  judge,  is  the  greatest  support  of  faith  in 
all  present  distresses. 

7.  A  prospect  by  faith  into  the  state  of  the  departed 
souls  of  believers,  is  both  a  comfort  against  the  fears 
of  death,  and  a  support  under  all  troubles  and  distres- 
ses of  this  present  life. 

§17.  1.  This  is  the  blessedness  and  safety  of  the 
catholic  church,  that  it  is  taken  into  such  a  covenant, 
and  hath  an  interest  in  such  a  mediator  of  it,  as  are 
able  to  save  it  to  the  utmost. 

2.  The  true  notion  of  faith  for  life  and  salvation  is 
a  coming  unto  Jesus  as  the  mediator  of  the  New  Tes- 
ment,  for  thereby  we  have  an  egress  and  deliverance 
from  the  covenant  of  works,  and  the  curse  wherewith 
it  is  accompanied. 

3.  It  is  the  wisdom  of  faith  to  make  use  of  that  me- 
diator continually,  in  all  wherein  we  have  to  do  with 
God.  To  be  negligent  herein,  is  to  reflect  on  the  wis- 
dom and  grace  of  God,  iiT  appointing  him  to  be  tliQ 


Ver.  25.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  385 

mediator  of  the  covenant,  and  on  his  love  and  power 
to  discharge  that  office, 

4.  The  glory,  the  safety,  the  pre-eminence  of  the 
state  of  believers  under  the  gospel  consists  in  this; 
that  they  come  therein  to  Jesus  the  mediator  of  the 
new  covenant.  This  is  the  centre  of  all  spiritual  priv- 
ileges, the  rise  of  all  spiritual  joys,  and  the  full  satis- 
faction of  the  souls  of  all  that  believe. 

VERSE  25. 

See  thai  ye  refuse  not  him  that  sfieakeih,  for  if  they  escajied  not 
who  refused  him  that  s/iake  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we 
esca/ie  if  we  turn  away  from  him  that  spcakelhfrom  heaven. 

,§t.  Introduction  §2  (I.)  Exposition.  Him  that  speaketli.  §3.  He  that 
spake  on  earth.  Mho?  0.  How  tlie  people  refused  him  that  then  spoke,  and 
did  not  escape.  §5.  Him  t)iat  speaktth  from  heaven.  §6.  To  turn  away 
from  him,  wliat.     ^7.  (11.)   Ohservations. 

§1.  IxAViNG  given  a  summary  account  of  the  two 
states  of  the  law  and  gospel,  with  the  incomparable 
excellence  of  the  latter  above  the  former,  the  apostle 
draws  from  hence  a  charge  and  exhortation  addressed 
both  to  them  who  had  actually  professed  the  gospel, 
and  them  to  whom  it  had  been  preached,  but  \a  ho  had 
not  received  and  professed  it.  In  brief,  he  intended 
all  sorts  in  their  several  states  and  capacities,  to  whom 
the  gospel  had  been  preached. 

§2.  (I.)  ''See  that  ye  refuse  not,"  {to^  7^uKiivlu)  him 
that  speaketh.  Tiieie  is  a  general  rule  in  the  words, 
that  we  are  diligently  to  attend  to,  and  not  to  refuse, 
any  that  speak  to  us  in  the  name  and  authority  of 
Christ;  but  yet  the  j;er5o/i  of  Christ  himself  is  imme- 
diately intended. 

And  this  command  hath  respect  to  the  douhle  soU 
emn  charge  given  of  God  to  the  church;  the  fiist  on 
the  closing  of  tlie  law,  the  other  as  the  beginning  and 


386  EXPOSITION  TO  THE  Chap.  12. 

foundation  of  the  gospel.  The  first  charge  was  given 
to  prepare  the  church  for  their  duty  in  its  proper  sea- 
son, Deut.  xvm,  18,  19.  The  other  charge  was  given 
immediately  from  heaven,  as  the  foundation  of  the 
gospel,  Matt,  xvii,  5.  This  is  the  foundation  of  all  gos- 
pel faith  and  obedience,  and  the  formal  reason  of 
the  condemnation  of  all  unbelievers.  God  hath 
given  command  to  all  men  to  hear,  that  is,  believe  and 
obey  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  By  virtue  thereof  he  hath 
given  command  to  others,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all 
individuals.  They  who  believe  them,  believe  in  Christ; 
and  they  who  believe  in  Christ  through  him,  believe 
in  God,  1  Pet.  i,  21;  so  that  their  faith  is  ultimately  re- 
solved into  the  authority  of  God  himself.  And  so 
they  who  refuse  them,  who  hear  not  them,  do  there- 
by refuse  Christ  himself;  and  by  so  doing  reject  the 
authority  of  God,  who  hath  given  this  command  to 
hear  him,  and  hath  taken  on  himself  to  require  it  when 
it  is  neglected;  which  is  the  condemnation  of  all 
unbelievers. 

Again;  the  apostle  gives  an  enforcement  of  this  du- 
ty taken  from  the  consideration  of  the  person  with 
whom  they  had  to  do,  and  a  comparison  between  the 
event  of  the  neglect  of  this  duty  in  them,  and  a  neg- 
lect of  the  same  kind  of  duty  in  those  to  whom  the 
law  was  given.     But, 

§3.  Who  is  (tv)?  £zi  r'/\g  y/ig  %pvi|Xfjl/^ov7<z)  he  thai 
spake  on  earth?  The  word  (%pvifAal<^f/v)  in  scripture  is 
applied  to  God  alone,  and  he  who  spake  on  the  earth, 
his  voice  then  shook  the  earth;  which  was  not  the 
voice  of  Moses.  Some  therefore  say,  that  an  angel 
is  intended,  who  delivered  all  those  oracles  on  mount 
Sinai  in  the  name  of  God.  But  it  deserves  notice,  that 
in  giving  the  law  he  lays  the  whole  weight  of  its  au- 
thority  on  the  pevso-i  of  the  speaker,  saying,  "I  am  the 


V«R.  25.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  387 

Lord  thy  God."  If  all  this  may  be  ascribed  to  an 
angel,  then  there  is  one  who  is  an  angel  by  office,  and 
God  btj  nature;  or  we  are  bound  to  take  a  created  an- 
gel to  be  our  God.  Wherefore,  he  that  then  spoke  on 
earth,  who  gave  these  divine  oracles,  was  none  other 
but  the  Son  of  God  himself;  or  the  divine  nature  acting 
itself  in  a  peculiar  manner  in  the  person  of  the  Son;  and 
to  him  all  things  agree.  What  is  purely  divine  was 
proper  to  his  person,  and  what  was  of  condescension 
belonged  to  him  in  a  way  of  office,  as  he  was  the  an- 
gel of  the  covenant,  in  whom  was  the  name  of  God. 
It  again  deserves  notice,  that  the  opposition  expressed 
is  not  between  the  persons  speaking,  but  between 
earth  and  heaven,  as  the  next  verse  sufficiently  shews. 
And  that  verse  declares  positively,  that  it  was  one  and 
the  same  person,  whose  voice  then  shook  the  earth, 
and  who  under  the  gospel  shaketh  the  heaven  also. 
B  ut  let  us  inquire, 

§4.  How  the  people  ('xupuileauixevot)  refused  him., 
who  spake  on  earth?  The  word  here  used  is  the  same 
with  that  which  ver.  19,  we  render  by  entreated  to 
hear  no  inore,  that  is,  deprecated  the  hearing  of  the 
voice  of  God.  It  discovered  the  want  of  that  faith 
and  filial  boldness,  which  were  necessary  to  enable 
them  to  abide  with  God.  With  respect  hereto  the 
apostle  might  justly  date  theu^  departure  from  God, 
and  refusal  of  obedience,  which  immediately  ensued 
on  this  discovery,  so  that  they  liked  not  the  presence 
and  voice  of  God.  But  the  people's  actual  refusal 
of  obedience  began  in  their  making  the  golden  calf, 
while  Moses  was  in  the  mount,  Exod.  xxxii,  from 
which  they  did  not  escape;  for,  besides  that  three 
thousand  of  them  on  that  occasion  were  slain  by  the 
sword — and  God  made  it  a  record  concerning  that 
sin;  "In  the  day  wherein  I  will  visit,  I  will  visit  their 

VOL.  tv.  49 


388  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

Sin  upon  them;  and  the  "Lord  plagued  the  people," 
Exod.  xxxii,  34,  35;  after  this  ensued  sundry  other  re- 
bellions of  the  people,  in  all  which  they  refused  him 
who  spake  on  earth. 

§5.  "Much  more  shall  not  we  escape  if  we  turn 
away  from  (tov  utt'  s^uvuv)  him  that  is,  or  speaketh, 
from  heaven.''^  This  is  fully  declared  by  himself; 
John  iii,  12,  13,  "If  I  have  told  you  earthly  things, 
and  ye  believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe  if  I  tell  you  of 
heavenly  things."  "And  no  man  hath  ascended  up 
to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down/?'07?i  heaven,  even 
the  Son  of  Man  who  is  in  heaven."  Add  hereto,  ver, 
31,  "He  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above  all;  he 
that  is  of  the  earth  is  earthly,  and  speaketh  of  the 
earth:  he  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above  all." 
See  John  vi,  33 — 38.  These  places  treat  of  the  same 
matter  as  that  intended  in  the  text;  namely,  the  reve- 
lation of  heavenly  things,  or  the  mysteries  of  the  will 
of  God  by  Jesus  Christ  in  each  place  it  is  affirmed, 
that  to  make  this  revelation  he  came  from  heaven; 
so  that  emphatically  "/le  tiDUs  from  heaven;''''  but 
withal,  whilst  he  did  so.  he  was  still  in  heaven,  "the 
Son  of  Man  who  is  in  heaven."  He  was  so  from  heav- 
en in  his  descent  to  declare  the  will  of  God,  as  that  he 
was  m  his  divine  person  st\\\  in  heaven.  Wherefore 
he  is  from  heaven  as  for  other  reasons  so  eminently  on 
account  of  his  opening  heaven,  and  all  the  treasures 
of  it,  bringing  life  and  immortality  to  light  by  the  gos- 
pel, in  comparison  whereof  the  things  of  the  law  are 
called  earthly  things. 

§6.  We  must  next  inquire,  what  it  is  to  turn  away 
from  him  who  thus  speaketh  from  heaven?  And  sun- 
dry things  are  included  in  this  expression: 

1.  That  in  the  declaration  of  the  gospel  by  Jesus 
Cb^'ist  from  heaven,  there  is  a  caJL   an  invitation  of 


Ver.  25.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS-  380 

sinners  to  come  to  him,  to  be  made  partakers  of  the 
good  things  contained  therein.  And  herein  it  differeth 
sufficiently  from  the  law  in  the  giving  of  it.  For  that 
was  so  far  fi-om  being  proposed  with  an  encouraging 
invitation  to  come  to  God  thereby,  as  that  it  was  only 
a  terrible  denunciation  of  duties  and  penalties,  which 
they  that  heard  could  not  endure,  and  removed  as  far 
as  they  could  from  it. 

2.  There  is  in  this  turning  away  a  dislike  of  tht 
terms  of  the  gospel  proposed  to  them.  And  therein 
they  despise  the  wisdom,  grace,  and  faithfulness  of  God 
to  the  utmost.     This  is  emphatically  unbelief. 

3.  There  is  in  this  turning  away,  a  rejection  of  the 
authority  of  Christ;  for  besides  the  matter  which  he 
declared  and  preached,  his  iiersonal  authority  had  its 
peculiar  power  and  efficacy  to  require  obedience;  this 
the  apostle  here  had  an  especial  respect  to.  It  was  he 
who  was  "from  heaven,"  and  who  spake  in  the  name 
of  him  that  sent  him,  even  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord, 
in  the  majesty  of  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God;  so  that 
all  authority  in  heaven  and  earth  was  in  him,  and  pres- 
ent with  him.  It  is  evident  on  these  considerations, 
that  human  nature  cannot  more  highly  despise  and 
provoke  God,  than  by  this  sin  of  unbelief.     But, 

4.  An  obstinacy  in  the  refusal  of  him  is  also  in- 
cluded herein;  it  is  a  turning  away  that  is  final  and  in- 
curable. 

§7.  (II.)  From  what  has  been  said  observe; 

1.  Unbelief  under  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  the 
great,  and,  in  some  respect,  the  only  damning  sin,  as 
being  accompanied  with,  yea,  greatly  consisting  in,  the 
last  and  utmost  contempt  of  the  authority  of  God. 

2.  There  is  in  all  sin  and  disobedience  a  rejection  of 
the  authority  of  God,  in  the  giving  of  the  law. 


390  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

3.  No  sinner  can  escape  divine  vengeance^  if  he  be 
tried  and  judged  according  to  the  law,  see  Psal.  cxxx,  3. 

4.  It  is  the  duty  of  gospel  ministers  diligently  and 
effectually  to  declare  the  nature  of  unbelief,  with  the 
heinousness  of  its  guilt,  above  all  other  sins  whatever; 
sins  against  the  light  of  nature,  or  express  commands 
of  the  law,  most  men  are  sensible  of;  but  as  to  unbe- 
lief, and  all  the  consequents  of  it,  they  regard  it  not; 
but  it  is  not  more  their  duty  to  declare  the  nature  of 
faith,  and  to  invite  men  to  Christ  in  the  gospel,  than  it 
is  to  make  known  the  nature  of  unbelief,  and  to  evi- 
dence the  woful  aggravations  of  it,  Mark  xvi,  16. 

5.  This  is  the  issue  whereinto  thmgs  are  brought 
between  God  and  sinners  wherever  the  gospel  is  preach- 
ed, namely,  whether  they  will  hear  the  Lord  Christ,  or 
turn  away  from  him.  On  this  one  point  alone  de- 
pends their  eternal  safety  or  misery;  if  they  hear  him, 
God  puts  an  end  to  the  whole  claim  of  the  law  against 
them  on  the  account  of  all  other  sins;  if  they  refuse 
him,  they  are  left  under  the  guilt  of  all  their  sins  against 
the  law,  with  the  unspeakable  aggravation  of  the  con- 
tempt of  Christ  speaking  to  them  from  heaven  for  their 
relief. 

6.  The  grace,  goodness,  and  mercy  of  God  will  not 
be  more  illustrious  and  glorious  to  all  eternity,  in  the 
salvation  of  believers  by  Jesus  Christ,  than  his  justice, 
holiness,  and  severity  in  the  condemnation  of  unbe- 
lievers. 


VERSES  26,  27. 
U7iose  voice  then  shook  the  earthy  but  now  he  hath  firomisedy  say- 
ing, yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also  heaven; 
and  this,  yet  once  more,  signijieth  the  removing  of  the  things 
that  are  shaken,  as  of  things  that  are  made,  that  those  things 
that  cannot  be  shaken  may  remain, 

§1.  Explanation  of  tlie  words  The  voice  of  Christ  shook  the  earth.  §2.  And 
the  heavens  also.  §S  The  apostle's  inferences.  The  removal  of  things  that 
are  shaken.  $4,  And  the  establishment  of  the  gospel  kinedom,  <i5.  Obser- 
vations.- s        »     J 


Ver.  26,  27.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  391 


§1.     These  verses  contain  an  illustration  of  the  ex- 
hortation in  the  foregoing  verse. 

(Ouv)  (puvv\)  whose  voice;  that  is,  the  voice  of  him 
who  is  from  heaven;  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  the 
author  of  the  gospel,  who  is  last  spoken  of;  nor  is  there 
any  other  in  the  context  to  whom  the  relative  (s) 
whose  should  refer.     The  voice  of  Christ  absolutely  is 
his  great  power  in  exercise;  so  all  the  mighty  effects  of 
Providence  are  ascribed  to  the  '-voice"  of  God,  Psal. 
xxix,  3 — 9.     In  particular,  the  declai-ation  and  exert- 
ing of  his  power  in  the  giving  of  the  law  is  here  intend- 
ed; (roTf)  then;  at  the  time  when  the  law  was  given, 
as  opposed  to  what  he  would  do  now.     {EaccXevae  rvtv 
yviv)  shook  the  earth;  referring  to  the  great  commotion 
that  was  at  mount  Sinai  before  described,  ver.  18 — 21; 
and  the  shaking  is  said  to  be  of  the  earth,  because  it 
was  at  I  on  the  earth,  and  this  is  put  for  a  j^cirt  of  the 
earth  by  a  synecdoclie;  and  we  have  here  an  illustri- 
ous evidence  given  to  the  divine  nature  of  Christ;  for 
it  is  unavoidable,  that  he  whose  voice  this  was,  is  no 
other  but  he  that  spake  from  heaven  in  the  promulga- 
tion of  the  gospel;  which  to  deny,  is  not  only  far  from 
truth,  but  all  pretence  of  modesty.    It  is  evidently  one 
and  the  same  person,  who  both  spake  from  heaven  in 
the  promulgation  of  the  gospel,  and  whose  voice  shook 
the  earth  in  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  who  promised 
in  the  prophet  to  shake  heaven  also;  unless  this  be 
granted  there  is  no  sense,  no  co-hercnce  in  the  apostle's 
discourse. 

§2.  The  apostle  adds  another  demonstration  of  the 
great  power  of  Christ  in  what  he  hath  promised  to  do; 
"But  now  he  hath  promised,  saying,  yet  once  more  1 
shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also  heaven  "  The  words 
are  taken  from  Ilag.  ii,  0,  7;  a  part  only  of  which  text 


392  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  ChXp.  i^. 

is  quoted;  the  prophet  affirming  that  he  would  shakc^ 
"the  heaven  and  the  eaiih;"  the  apostle  in  an  accom- 
modation to  his  present  purpose  expresseth  it,  "not  only 
the  earth,^^  as  of  old,  "but  the  heaven  also;"  wherefore 
in  this  new  speaking,  a  shaking  of  the  earth  also  is 
comprised. 

The  principal  inquiry  is,  what  is  the  shaking  of  the 
heavens  and  earth  intended,  and  at  what  season  it  was 
to  be  done?  and  for  the  clearing  hereof  we  must  ob- 
serve, that  the  same  thing  and  time  is  intended  by  the 
prophet  and  the  apostle;  for  unless  this  be  granted, 
there  can  be  no  force  in  this  testimony  to  his  purpose; 
and  indeed  these  things  are  spoken  by  the  prophet  evi- 
dently and  expressly  with  respect  to  the  first  coming 
of  Christ,  and  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel  there- 
upon. Again,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  take 
this  shaking  "not  only  of  the  earth,  but  of  heaven," 
or  as  the  prophet  expresses  it,  of  "the  heavens,  and  the 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land,"  in  a  literal  or 
natural  sense;  the  prophet  expounds  it  all  in  the  next 
words, "And  I  will  shake  all  nations;'^  and  moreover 
they  are  spiritual  things  whereof  the  apostle  discours- 
eth,  such  as  end  in  that  unshakened  kingdom  which 
believers  receive  in  this  world;  whereas  therefore  it  is 
evident,  that  the  apostle  treats  about  the  dealing  of 
Christ  with  his  church,  both  in  the  giving  of  the  law, 
and  the  promulgation  of  tiie  gospel;  the  signification  of 
these  expressions  must  be  the^?'ea/  alteration  he  would 
make  in  the  church  state,  with  the  mighty  works  and 
commotions  with  which  it  was  to  be  accompanied; 
besides,  it  is  self-evident  that  the  dealing  of  God  with 
the  church,  and  the  alterations  which  he  would  make 
in  the  state  thereof,  IS  that  concerning  which  the  apos- 
tle treats;  therefore  it  is  the  "heavens"  of  Mosaical 
worship,  and  the   Judaical  church   state;    with  the 


yER.  26,  27.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  393 

^'earth"  oHheir  political  s/a^e  belonging  thereunto,  that 
a  re  intended;  this  was  far  more  great  and  glorious 
than  the  shaking  of  the  earth  at  the  giving  of  the  law, 

§3.  "And  this  word  yet  once  more,  signifieth  the  re- 
moving of  those  things  which  are  shaken,  as  of  things 
which  are  made."  This  is  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
argumentative  part  of  this  epistle,  that  which  was  aim- 
ed at  from  the  beginning;  for,  having  fully  proved  the 
excellency  of  the  gospel  state  above  that  under  the 
law.  and  confirmed  it  by  an  examination  of  all  the 
concernments  of  the  one  and  the  other,  as  we  have 
seen;  he  now  declares  from  the  scripture,  according  to 
his  usual  mode  of  dealing  with  those  Hebrews,  that  all 
the  ancient  iiisfiiiitions  of  worship,  and  the  whole 
church  state  of  the  old  covenant,  was  now  to  be  re- 
inovedy  and  taken  away,  to  make  way  for  that  better 
state,  a  state  more  glorious,  that  should  never  be  ob- 
noxious to  change  or  alteration. 

This  expression,  "?/e^  07ice  mo?'e,'' plainly  intimates — 
that  there  had  been  a  similar  work  wrought  before-, 
which,  as  to  the  general  nature  of  it,  was  the  erection 
of  a  new  ecclesiastical  state,  which  God  then  wrought, 
and  the  like  he  would  now  do  again;  and  therefore — . 
it  signifies  the  removal  of  that  which  was  before;  the 
things  intended  were  shaken,  even  by  God  himself; 
and  the  things  that  were  to  be  effected  by  this  new 
work  were  to  be  introduced  into  their  place;  and  there- 
fore of  necessity  they  were  to  be  removed;  so  the  apos- 
tle deduces  the  sole  necessity  of  their  removal  from  the 
establishment  of  "the  things  that  cannot  be  shaken;"' 
which  therefore  must  be  of  the  same  general  nature  and 
use  with  them;  namely,  a  new  church  state,  and  new 
divine  worship;    in   short,   the    gospel,    with    its 

PRIVILEGES. 


394  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

The  apostle  also  intimates  the  original  ground  and 
equity  of  the  removal  of  the  one,  and  the  introduction 
of  the  other;  (w?  %e'xotvifj.£vuv)  as  of  things  that  'icere 
made;  so  made,  as  that  they  were  made  only  for  a  sea- 
son, until  a  ti:ne  of  reformatian,  chap,  ix,  10. 

§4.  In  the  room  of  these  things  removed,  things 
that  cannot  be  shaken  are  to  be  established;  these 
things  in^e  next  verse  he  calls  a  kingdom  that  cannot 
be  moved,  v^hich  believers  receive;  that  is,  the  things 
of  the  spiritualsj^ingdom  of  Jesus  Christ;  the  gospel 
with  all  its  privilegb^,^  worship,  and  excellency,  in  rela- 
tion to  Christ,  his  pei^i,  office,  and  grace;  the  things 
that  cannot  be  moved  are  to  remain  and  be  establish- 
ed against  all  opposition  whatever  Wherefore,  as  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  of  the  idolatrous  world  were  of 
old  shaken  and  removed;  so  shall  those  also  of  the 
antichristian  world,  which  at  present  in  many  places 
seem  to  prevail;  for  if  God  made  way  for  his  glory, 
by  the  removal  of  his  own  institutions,  appointed  for 
a  season,  what  else  shall  hinder  its  establishment  and 
progress  to  the  end? 

§5..  And  we  may  hence  observe; 

1.  The  sovereign  authority  and  mighty  power  of 
Christ  are  gloriously  manifested  in  that  signal  change 
and  alteration  which  he  made  in  the  state  and  worship 
of  the  church  by  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel. 

2.  God  was  pleased  to  give  testimony  to  the  great- 
ness and  glory  of  this  work,  by  the  greatest  commo- 
tions in  heaven  and  earth  wherewith  it  was  accompa- 
nied. 

3.  It  was  a  mighty  work  to  introduce  the  gospel 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  seeing  their  gods  and 
heavens  were  to  be  shaken  and  removed. 


Vek.  28,  29,         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         395 


VERSES  28,  29. 
Wherefore  toe  receivings  a  kingdoryi  "johich  cannot  be  moved.,  let  U» 
have  grace.,  ivhereby  we  may  serve  God  accefitably  with  rever- 
ence and  godly  Jear;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 

$1.  The  doctrinal  and  hortatory  parts  of  the  epistle  here  concluded.  §2.  The 
state  ofa  gospel  is  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be  moved.  J3  Wliich  believers 
receive.  §4.  The  duty  exhorted  to,  the  serving  of  God  acceptably.  iJ5.  And 
to  have  grace.  56.  The  manner  of  performing  the  duty  wiili  reverence  and 
godly  fear.     ^7.  The  reason  enforcing  the  duty.     J8;  9.  Observations. 

§1.  J.  HE  apostle  in  these  verses  sums  up  both  the 
doctrinal  and  hortatory  parts  of  the  epistle;  and  from 
hence  to  the  close  of  it  brancheth  his  general  exhorta- 
tion into  a  prescription  of  particular  duties  of  the  most 
importance  to  his  general  end;  the  note  of  inference 
(J/o)  u7ic/T/o7'e,  may  respect  either  the  whole  discourse 
which  he  hath  now  passed  through,  or  that  immedi- 
ately preceding,  concerning  the  shaking  and  removal 
of  the  Judaical  church  state,  with  the  introduction 
and  establishment  of  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ;  the  force  of  the  exhortation  ariseth  equally 
from  either  of  them.  iS^o/e,  Such  is  the  nature  and 
the  use  of  all  divine  truths,  that  the  teaching  of  them 
ought  constantly  to  be  applied  and  improved  to  prac- 
tice; for  falih  and  obedience  is  the  end  oi  their  reve- 
lation. 

§2.  (B«o-/Af/«v)  a  kingdom;  an  heavenly  spiritual 
state  under  the  rule  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  hath 
anointed  and  set  upon  his  holy  hill  of  Sion,  Psal.  ii,  6 
7.  The  state  of  the  gospel,  and  the  rule  of  Christ 
therein  was  represented  and  promised  from  the  begin- 
ning under  the  name  and  notion  of  a  kingdom.  And 
it  is  usually,  but  improperly,  distributed  into  the  king- 
dom of  oTacc,  and  the  kingdom  oi' glory;  for,  accord- 
ing to  that  distribution,  the  former  part  of  it  would  be 
removed.     Wherefore^  '-the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  so 

VOL.    IV.  ,50 


496  EXPOSITION  OF' THE  Chap.  12^ 

often  mentioned  in  the  scripture,  is  that  only  which 
we  call  the  kingdom  of  God.  And,  at  present,  those 
in  heaven,  and  those  on  earth,  constitute  but  one  king- 
dom, though  they  are  in  various  conditions.  Christ 
is  the  king;  the  gospel  is  the  law;  all  bfelievers  are  his 
subjects;  the  Holy  Spirit  is  its  administrator;  and 
all  the  divine  treasures  of  grace  and  mercy  are  its  rev- 
enue. 

The  especial  property  of  this  kingdom  is,  that 
(a^ahsvlog)  it  caimot  be  moved,  or  shaken;  and  to  speak 
of  the  unshaken,  immoveable  kingdom,  is  all  one  as 
if  expressly  mentioned  the  kingdom  of  Christ;  seeing 
that  only  is  so.  But  that  which  is  here  peculiarly  in- 
tended is,  that  it  is  not  obnoxious  to  such  a  shaking  or 
removal,  as  the  church  state  was  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament; that  is,  God  himself  would  never  make  any  al- 
teration in  it,  nor  ever  introduce  another  church  state, 
or  worship;  but  hath,  by  his  eternal  Son,  put  the  last 
hand  to  it. 

§3.  Believers  receive  this  kingdom.  They  have  it 
by  grant  or  donation  from  God  their  father;  Luke  xii, 
32,  ''Fear  not  little  flock,  saith  Christ,  it  is  your 
Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom;" 
freely  to  grant  you  an  interest  in  his  heavenly  king- 
dom. They  receive  it  in  its  doctrine,  rule,  and  law; 
owning  its  truth,  and  submitting  to  its  authority. 
And  though,  with  respect  to  Christ,  and  his  rule,  we 
are  absolutely  subjects;  yet,  with  rejpect  to  others,  we 
are  absolutely  free;  '-Ye  are  bought  with  a  price,  be 
not  ye  servants  of  men,'^  1  Cor.  vii,  23.  They  re- 
ceive it  by  an  initiation  into  the  sacred  mysteries  of  it, 
the  glory  of  its  spiritual  worship,  and  their  access  to 
God  thereby.  And  in  all  these  things,  they  receive  it 
as  a  pledge  of  a  future  reign  in  glory. 

§4.  The  duty  exhorted  to,  on  the  consideration  of 


Ver.  28,  29.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  39 f 

this  blessed  state  and  privilege  is,  tiiat  we  "sen'e  God 
acceptably."  I  judge,  that  here  is  a  peculiar  respect 
to  the  worship  of  God,  according  to  tlie  gospel,  which 
was  brought  in  upon  the  removal  of  all  those  iustitu- 
"tions  of  worship,  which  were  appointed  under  the 
Old  Testament.  (Euape^w?)  accepiably  so  that  we  may 
be  accepted,  or  find  acceptance  with  him.  There  is  an 
intimation,  that  there  may  be  a  performance  of  the 
duties  of  divine  worship,  when  yet  neither  the  persons 
that  perform  them,  nor  the  duties  themselves,  are  ac- 
cepted of  God.  The  principal  things  required  are — , 
That  the  persons  of  the  worshippers  be  accepted  in  the 
Beloved;  that  the  worship  itself,  in  all  the  duties  of  it 
and  the  whole  manner  of  its  performance,  be  of  God's 
own  appointment  and  approbation;  that  the  graces  of 
faith  and  love,  fear,  reverence,  and  delight,  be  in  actu- 
al exercise. 

§5.  In  order  to  this  serving  of  God,  it  is  required  of 
us,  in  a  way  of  duty,  that  we  have  grace.  It  is  not 
a  privilege  asserted,  but  a  (?i«^z/ prescribed.  "Grace" 
here  is  to  be,  therefore,  taken  for  the  internal  spiritual 
aids  of  grace,  as  necessary  to  enable  us  for  the  duty  of 
serving  God  acceptably.  This  is  the  proper  sense  oi 
the  place.  "You  that  have  received  grace  (essentially 
considered)  for  your  sanctification,  endeavor  mucl> 
after  an  increase  of  it,  in  its  degrees  and  measures; 
that  by  its  being  in  continual  exercise,  you  may  be 
enabled  to  serve  God  acceptably."  And,  indeed,  with- 
out this  grace  we  cannot  serve  God  at  all.  He  ac- 
counts not  that,  as  his  worship  or  seiTicc,  which  is 
performed  by  graceless  persons.  This  is  the  great 
apostolic  canon,  for  the  due  performance  of  divine 
worship.  "Let  us  have  grace  to  do  it;"  all  other  can- 
9  lis  are  needless  c^nd  superfluous. 


398  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

§6.  The  manner  of  performing  the  duty  is,  "with 
reverence  and  godly  fear."  The  sense  of  the  words 
jn  this  place  may  be  learned  best  from  what  they  are 
opposed  to;  for  they  are  prescribed  against  such  defects 
and  faults  in  divine  worship,  as  from  which  we  ought 
to  be  deterred,  by  the  consideration  of  the  holiness  and 
severity  of  God,  as  is  manifest  from  the  next  words: 
"For  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  Now  these  faults 
are — want  of  a  due  sense  of  the  majesty  and  glory  of 
God,  with  whom  we  have  to  do;  want  of  a  due  sense 
of  our  own  vileness,  and  our  infinite  distance  from 
him  in  nature  and  condition;  carnal  boldness  in  a 
customary  performance  of  a  sacred  duty,  under  a  neg- 
lect of  endeavoring  to  exercise  all  grace  in  them,  which 
God  abhors.  Wherefore,  (ui^ag,  pudor  spiritualis) 
what  we  render  reveveuQe,  is  an  "holy  abasement  of 
soul  in  divine  worship,  in  a  sense  of  the  majesty  of 
God  and  our  own  vileness,  with  our  infinite  distance 
from  him,"  Ezra  ix,  6;  Dan.  ix,  7.  And  (evKalieiu) 
that  which  we  render  godly  fear  is,  "a  religious  awe 
on  the  soul  in  holy  duties,  from  a  consideration  of  the 
great  danger  there  is  of  sinful  miscarriages  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  of  his  severity  against  such  sins  and 
offences."  Hereby  the  soul  is  moved  and  excited  to 
spiritual  care  and  diligence,  not  to  provoke  so  great,  so 
holy  and  jealous  a  God,  by  a  neglect  of  that  exercise 
of  grace  he  requires  in  his  service,  which  is  due  to  him 
on  account  of  his  glorious  excellencies. 

§7.  "For  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  The  words 
are  taken  from  Deut.  iv,  24;  where  they  are  used  by 
Moses,  to  deter  the  people  from  idols  or  graven  ima- 
ges in  the  worship  of  God;  for  this  is  a  sin  that  God 
\v\\\  by  no  means  bear  with.  And  the  same  descrip- 
tion of  his  divine  Majesty  is  applied  here  by  the  apos- 
tle, to  the  want  of  grace,  reverence,  and  fear,  in  that 


¥er.  2«,  59.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  Sd9 

worship  which  he  hath  appointed;  tor  if  we  are  grace- 
less in  our  persons;  devoid  of  reverence  by  godly  fear 
in  our  duties,  God  will  deal  with  us  even  as  with  theni 
who  worship  him  after  their  own  idolatrous  devisings. 

There  is  a  metaphor  in  the  expression;  for  as  vehe- 
ment fire  will  consume  and  devour  whatever  combus- 
tible matter  is  thrown  mto  it;  so  will  God,  with  a  fiery 
terror,  consume  and  destroy  such  as  are  guilty  of  the 
sin  here  prohibited.  And  he  is  called  herein  our 
God;  as  in  Moses  to  the  people,  the  Lord  t/iy  God. 
All  covenant  relation  to  him  is  in  both  places  intima- 
ted. Wherefore,  although  we  have  a  firm  persuasion 
that  he  is  our  God  in  covenant;  yet  it  is  his  will,  that 
we  should  have  holy  apprehensions  of  his  greatness 
and  terrors  towards  sinners.     See  2  Cor.  v,  10,  11. 

Two  things  are  represented  in  this  expression — "a 
t^onsuming  fire." 

1.  The  holiness  and  purity  of  God's  nature,  with 
his  severity  and  vindictive  justice.  From  them  it  is, 
that  he  wi)l  consume  impenitent  sinners,  such  as  have 
no  interest  in  the  atonement,  even  as  fire  consumes 
tliat  which  is  cast  into  it. 

2.  His  Jealousy,  with  reference  to  his  worship,  as 
declared  in  the  second  commandment.  So  it  is  ad- 
ded, in  that  place  of  Moses,  "The  Lord  thy  God  is  a 
consuming  fire,  even  a,  jealous  God.'''*  Tliis  title  God 
iiist  gave  himself,  with  respect  to  his  instituted  wor- 
ship, Exod.  XX,  5.  And  this  affection  or  property  of 
jealousy  is  figuratively  ascribed  to  God  by  an  anihrop- 
opathy.  In  men,  it  is  a  vehement  affection  and  incli- 
nation, q,rising  from  an  apprehension,  that  any  others 
should  have  an  interest  in,  or  possess  that  which  they 
judge  ought  to  h^  peculiar  to  themselves;  and  it  hath 
place  principally  in  the  state  of  marriage,  or  that  vvliich 
is  in  order  thereto.    It  is^  therefore,  supposed,  that  the 


400  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  12. 

covenant  between  God  and  the  church  hath  the  na- 
ture of  a  marriage  covenant,  wherein  he  calleth  him- 
self the  husband  thereof,  and  saith,  that  he  is  married 
to  it,  Isa.  liv,  5;  Jer.  iii,  14.  In  this  state  it  is  religious 
worship,  both  as  to  the  outward  form  in  divine  insti- 
tution, and  its  inward  form  of  faith  and  grace,  which 
God  requires,  as  wholly  his  own.  With  reference, 
therefore,  to  defects  and  miscarriages  therein,  he  as- 
sumeth  that  affection,  and  calleth  himself  a  "jealous 
God."  And  because  this  is  a  vehement  burning  af- 
fection, God  is  said,  on  the  account  of  it,  to  be  a 
^'consuming  fire." 

§8.  And  we  may  observe; 

1.  That  the  privileges  which  believers  receive  by 
the  gospel,  are  inconceiveable.  They  are  a  kingdom, 
the  kingdom  of  God,  or  of  Christ;  a  spiritual  heaven- 
ly kingdom,  replenished  with  inexhaustible  treasures 
of  spiritual  blessings  and  advantages. 

2.  Believers  are  not  to  be  measured  by  their  out- 
ward  state  and  appearance  of  things  in  the  world; 
but  by  the  interest  they  have  in  that  kingdom,  which 
it  is  their  Father's  pleasure  to  give  them. 

3.  It  is  assuredly  their  duty  in  all  things  to  behave 
themselves  as  becomes  those  who  receive  such  privi- 
leges and  dignity  from  God  himself. 

4.  The  obligation  from  hence  to  the  duty  of  serv- 
ing God,  as  here  described,  is  evident  and  unavoida- 
ble. Those  on  whom  it  hath  not  an  efficacy,  have 
no  real  interest  in  this  privilege,  whatever  they  may 
pretend. 

5.  Spiritual  things  and  mercies  do  constitute  the 
most  glorious  kingdom  in  the  world,  even  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

6.  This  is  the  only  kingdom  that  can  never  be 
moved,  and  it  never  shall  be,  liow^ever  hell  and  the 
world  rage  against  it. 


Ver.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  4OI 

§9.  1.  While  God  takes  us  near  to  himself  in  cov- 
enant, whereby  he  is  our  God,  he  requires,  that  we 
always  retain  due  apprehensions  of  the  holiness  of 
his  nature,  the  severity  of  his  justice  against  sinners, 
and  his  ardent  jea/oM.9?/  concerning  his  worship. 

2.  The  consideration  of  these  things,  and  the  dread 
of  being,  by  guilt,  obnoxious  to  their  terrible  consum- 
ing effects,  ought  to  influence  our  minds  to  due  rever- 
ence and  godly  fear  in  all  acts  of  divine  worship. 

3.  We  may  learn,  how  great  our  care  and  diligence 
about  serving  God  ought  to  be,  which  are  pressed  on 
us  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  from  the  consideration  of  the 
greatness  of  the  privilege,  on  the  one  hand,  our  re- 
ceiving the  kingdom;  with  the  dreadful  destruction 
from  God,  on  the  other,  in  case  of  our  neglect. 

4.  The  holiness  and  jealousy  of  God,  which  are  a 
cause  of  insupportable  terror  to  convinced  sinners, 
have  towards  believers  only  a  gracious  influence  to 
promote  fear  and  reverence,  causing  them  to  cleave  t<^ 
him  more  firmly. 

CHAPTER  XHI. 

VERSE  1. 

Let  brotherly  love  continue. 

§.  The  apostle's  heavenly  Misdora  and  skill,  §2.  The  chapter  aualizcd.  §3i 
Brotherly  love  enjoined.  S4.  To  be  continued.  §5.  A  peculiar  reason  for 
urging  it  upon  the  Hebrews.    §G.  Observations. 

§1.  In  this  concluding  chapter,  the  apostles  gives  us 
new  instances  of  that  divine  wisdom,  wherewith  he 
was  acted  in  writing  the  whole;  which  the  apostle 
Peter  refers  to,  2  Pet.  iii,  1.5.  And  it  will  communi- 
cate an  inexpressible  sense  of  itself  to  eveiy  intelligent 
reader,  who  meditates  upon  it  with  that  faith  and 


i(J2  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  Chap  ii 

reverence  which  is  required  in  the  perusal  of  these 
holy  writings.  He  prescribes  by  his  own  example,  as 
he  also  doth  in  most  of  his  other  epistles,  the  true  or- 
der and  method  of  preaching  the  gospel;  that  is,  first  to 
declare  the  gracious  mysteries  of  it,  and  then  to  im- 
prove it  to  practical  duties  of  obedience.  And  they  will 
be  mistaken  who  propose  to  themselves  any  othei" 
method,  and  those,  most  of  all,  who  think  One  part  of 
it  enough  without  the  other.  He  manifests  in  this 
method  of  his  procedure,  that  it  is  to  no  purpose  to 
deal  with  men  about  duties  of  obedience,  before  they 
are  well  fixed  in  the  fundamental  principles  of  faith. 

§2.  For  the  parts  of  the  chapter,  (the  whole  being 
hortatory)  they  are  these: — An  injunction  of  several 
duties,  and  of  some  with  special  enforcement,  ver.  1^0. 
An  exhortation  to  faith  and  stability,  with  a  warning 
to  avoid  whatever  is  contrary  thereto,  ver.  7 — 12.  The 
duties  of  self-denial,  and  patient  bearing  of  the  cross 
enforced,  ver.  13,  14.  A  renewed  charge  of  sundry 
duties,  with  respect  to  God,  their  church  relation,  one 
another,  and  himself,  ver.  15 — 19.  A  solemn  prayer 
for  the  accomplishment  of  the  blessed  work  of  divine 
grace  in  Christ  towards  them  all,  ver.  20,  21.  And  fi- 
nally, the  conclusion  of  the  whole  in  sundry  particulars. 

In  the  first  part,  the  duties  exhorted  unto  are: — 
Brotherly  love,  ver.  1;  Hospitality,  vei\  2;  Compassion 
towards  those  that  suffer  for  the  gospel,  ver.  3  ;  Chas- 
tity, with  the  nature  and  use  of  marriage;  and  Con- 
tentment, with  the  grounds  and  reasons  of  it,  ver.  5,  6. 

§c>.  "Let  brotherly  love  continue,"  or  abide  con- 
stant. Love  is  the  fountain  and  foundation  of  all  mu- 
tual duties,  moral  and  ecclesiastical;  wherefore  it  is 
here  placed  at  the  heads  of  both.  All  love  is  founded 
in  relation.  Where  there  is  relation  there  ought  to  be 
lovc^;    and   where  there   is    no   relation,    there    cart 


Ver.  1.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  40$ 

be  no  love,  properly  so  called  Every  one  by  the  law 
of  nature,  is  every  one's  neighbor;  and  every  one's 
brother,  his  keeper  and  helper.  Wherefore  ail  strife, 
envy,  hatred,  wrong,  oppression,  and  bloodshed  a- 
mong  mankind,  is  of  the  evil  one,  1  John  iii,  12. 
There  is  love,  therefore,  due  to  all  mankind,  to  be  exer- 
cised as  opportunity  and  circumstances  require.  We 
are  to  do  good  to  all  men,  1  Thes,  v,  15;  and  where 
this  love  is  wanting  in  any,  (and  alas!  is  it  not  want- 
ing in  most?)  there  dwells  no  real  virtue  in  that  mind. 
But  this  brotherhood  is  religious.  All  believers  have 
one  Father;  one  elder  Brother,  who  is  not  ashamed  to 
call  them  brethren;  they  have  one  spirit,  and  are 
called  in  one  hope  of  their  calling;  which,  being  a  spir- 
it of  adoption,  interesteth  them  all  in  the  same  family, 
whereby  they  become  joint  heirs  with  Christ:  see  Ex- 
pos, on  chap,  iii,  ver.  1.  This  is  the  "  brotherhood" 
principally  intended  in  the  duty  of  love  here  prescribed. 
For  although  there  was  a  natural  relation  also  among 
these  Hebrews,  yet  it  was  originally  from  their  coales- 
cency  into  one  sacred  society,  by  virtue  of  their  cove- 
nant with  God,  that  they  became  brethren  of  one  fam- 
ly,  distinct  from  all  others  in  the  world.  And  this  rela- 
tion was  not  dissolved,  but  farther  confirmed  by  their 
interest  in  the  gospel;  whence  they  became  "holy 
brethren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling,"  chap,  iii, 
1.  Next  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  profession 
thereof,  the  life  and  beauty  of  Christian  religion  consists 
in  the  mutual  love  of  them,  who  are  partakers  of  the 
same  heavenly  calling.  And  in  vain  shall  men  wran- 
gle and  contend  about  their  differences  in  opinions, 
faith,  and  worship,  pretending  to  design  the  advance- 
ment of  religion,  by  an  imposition  of  their  persuasion, 
on  others,  without  attempting  to  introduce  again  this  of 
holy  love  among  all  those  who  profess  the  name  Chrirt. 

VOL.    IV.  51 


404  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IS. 

§4.  The  manner  of  the  prescription  of  this  duty  is, 
that  it  should  ^'■coniinue,^^  or  abide  constant;  for  he 
supposes  it  was  aheady  in  them,a.nd  exercised  by  them. 
He  seems  to  intimate  the  difficulty  there  is  in  the  pres- 
ervation of  this  grace,  and  the  performance  of  this  du- 
ty. It  is  not  merely,  "let  it  continue,"  but  take  care 
that  it  be  preserved;  (ov  many  occasions  will  be  apt 
to  weaken  and  impair  it;  such  as  differences  in  opinion 
and  practice  about  things  in  religion;  nnsuitableness 
of  natural  tempers  and  inclinations;  readiness  to  re- 
ceive a  sense  of  appearing  provocations;  different, 
and  sometimes  inconsistent,  secular  interests;  an  a- 
buse  of  spiritual  gifts,  by  pride  on  the  one  hand,  or  en- 
vy on  the  other;  or  attempts  for  domination  inconsist- 
ent in  a  fraternity;  which  are  all  to  be  assiduously 
watched  against. 

§5.  It  is  not  improbable,  but  that  the  apostle  might 
also  have  a  respect  to  the  especial  conditions  of  those 
Hebrews.  They  had  all  rational  foundations  of  mu- 
tual love  among  them  from  the  beginning,  in  that  they 
were  all  of  one  common  natural  stock;  and  all  united 
in  the  same  sacred  covenant.  Hereon  they  had  many 
divine  commands  for  mutual  love,  and  the  exercise  of 
all  its  effects,  as  became  a  natural  and  religious  frater- 
nity. Accordingly  they  had  an  intense  love  towards 
all  those,  who,  on  these  accounts,  were  their  brethren. 
But  in  process  of  time  they  corrupted  this,  as  all  oth- 
er divine  institutions.  For  their  teachers  instructed 
them,  that  the  meaning  of  the  command  for  mutuail 
love,  included  a  permission,  if  not  a  command,  to  hatt 
all  others.  So  they  interpretedthe  law  of  love;  Lev. 
xix,  18,  *'Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  and  hate 
thine  enemy,"  Matt,  v,  43.  And  the  people  prac- 
tised accordingly,  not  thinking  themselves  obli- 
ged   to    shew    the    least    kindness     to    any    but 


Van.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  405 

their  own  countrymen.  Hereon  they  grew  infamous 
in  the  world.  But  whereas,  by  the  gospel,  their  orig- 
inal brotherhood  was  as  it  were  dissolved;  the  Gentiles 
being  taken  into  the  same  sacred  communion  with 
them,  some  of  them  might  suppose,  that  the  obligation 
to  mutual  love,  which  they  were  before  under,  was 
now  also  ceased.  This  the  apostle  warns  them  against, 
giving  in  charge,  that  the  same  love  should  still  contin- 
ue in  all  its  exercise;  but  yet  with  respect  to  that  ne%i^ 
fraternity,  which  was  constitut  ed  by  t  he  gospel. 
§6.  Hence  observe; 

1 .  We  are  especially  to  watch  for  the  preservation 
of  those  graces,  and  the  performance  of  those  duties, 
which  in  our  circumstances  are  most  exposed  to  oppo- 
sition.    In  particular, 

2.  Brotherly  love  is  very  apt  to  be  impaired,  and 
decay,  if  we  endeavor  not  continually  its  preservation 
and  revival.     And,     . 

3.  It  is  a  part  of  the  wisdom  of  faith,  to  consider 
aright,  the  ways  and  occasions  of  the  decay  of  mutual 
love,  with  the  means  of  its  preservation:  without  thi? 
we  cannot  comply  with  the  caution  and  injunction  in 
a  due  manner. 

VERSE  2. 

£e  not  forgetful  to  entertain  stangers,/or  thereby  some  have  en* 

tertained  angels  unatvc^rea. 

$1.  Hospitality  urged.    §2.  A  peculiar  reason  for  it.    $3.  The  manner  of  pra^ 
scribing  it,    $4,  5.  The    advantage  some  have  found  by  it.    §6.  Observations. 

§1.  The  duty  prescribed  is  "the  entertaining  of  stran- 
gers." The  original  word  (cp/AoEfvicj)  hath  respect  not 
so  much  to  the  exercise  of  the  duty  itself,  as  to  the 
disposition,  readiness,  and  frame  of  mind,  which  it 
requires,  Hence  the  Syriac  properly  renders  it;    "  Tho, 


406  EXPOSITION  OF  THK  Chap.  U. 

lov€  of  strangers ;^^  but  it  is  such  a  love  as  is  effectual, 
and  whose  proper  exercise  consisteth  in  their  enter- 
tainment;  which  compriseth  the  help  and  relief,  which 
strangers  stand  in  need  of,  and  which  is  the  proper  ef- 
fect of  love  towards  them.  Hence  we  render  it  "to  en- 
tertain strangers;"  that  is,  the  receiving  of  them  into 
our  houses,  with  all  necessary  accommodations,  as  their 
occasions  require.  It  is  granted,  that  prudence  and 
care  is  to  be  used,  that  we  be  not  imposed  on  by  such 
as  are  unworthy  of  any  entertainment.  But  it  doth, 
not  follow,  that  therefore  we  should  refuse  all  who 
are  strangers  indeed;  that  is,  whose  circumstances 
we  know  hot,  but  from  themselves.  It  must  also  be 
acknowledged  that  whereas  provision  is  now  made  in 
all  civilized  nations,  for  the  entertainment  of  strangers, 
thpugh  at  their  own  cost,  things  are  somewhat  alter- 
ed from  what  they  were  in  the  younger  days  of  the 
world. 

§2.  But  there  was  a  peculiar  reason  for  prescribing 
this  duty,  taken  from  the  then  present  circumstances 
of  the  church,  especially  of  the  Hebrews  in  their  dis- 
persions; for  the  church  was  then  under  great  'perse- 
cution in  sundry  places  whereby  believers  were  scat- 
tered from  their  own  habitations  and  countries,  Acts, 
viii,  1;  and  hereon,  following  the  direction  of  our 
blessed  Savior,  when  they  were  persecuted  in  one  city, 
they  fled  to  another;  to  other  parts  and  places  wherein 
they  were  strangers.  Again;  at  that  time  there  were 
sundry  persons,  especially  of  the  converted  Hebrews, 
who  went  up  and  down  from  one  city,  yea,  one  na- 
tion unto  another,  on  their  own  cost  and  charges^ 
to  preach  the  gospel:  "They  went  forth  for  the  sake 
of  Christ,  (to  preach  the  gospel)  taking  nothing  of 
the  Gentiles,"  to  whom  they  preached,  3  John  7;  and 
fnese  were  only   brethren,  and  not   officers  of  ^ny 


Ver.  2.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  407 

church,  ver.  5.  Such  as  these  the  apostle  recommends 
to  their  love  and  charity  in  a  peculiar  manner.  And  he 
who  is  not  ready  to  receive  and  entertain  such  per- 
sons, will  manifest  how  little  concernment  he  hath 
in  the  gospel,  or  the  glory  of  Christ  himself. 

§3.  The  manner  of  the  prescription  of  this  duty  is 
expressed  in  that  word  (f^vi  eriKuv^uvea^e)  be  not  forget- 
ful; be  not  unmindful  of  it.  There  is  no  doubt  but 
that  a  positive  command  is  included  in  the  prohibi- 
tion, "Forget  not;"  that  this  is,  remember.  This  inti- 
mates that  it  is  one  of  those  duties  to  which  our  minds 
ought  always  to  be  engaged  by  an  especial  remem- 
brance, and  against  which  many  pretences  are  apt  to 
be  used,  for  a  countenance  of  their  omission.  Unless 
the  mind  be  preseived  in  a  constant  disposition  to  the 
duty,  we  shall  fail  assuredly  in  particular  cases.  ''The 
liberal  deviseih  liberal  things,"  Isa,  xxxii,  8.  The 
mind  is  to  be  disposed  and  inclined  habitually  to  ^vu- 
dent  liberality,  or  it  will  not  embrace  occasions  of  do- 
ing liberal  things. 

§4.  The  next  thing  in  the  words  is,  the  advantage 
that  some  formerly  had  received  by  a  diligent  ob- 
servance of  this  duty:  "'for  thereby  some  have  enter- 
tained angels  ana  wares;"  (lia.  ruvrvig  yct^)  for  thereby; 
by  this  virtue  inclining  the  mind  to  the  entertainment 
of  strangers,  some  had  their  privilege  of  receiving  an- 
gels under  the  appearance  of  strangers.  Had  they 
not  been  so  disposed,  they  had  neglected  the  oppor- 
tunity of  so  great  a  favor.  So  the  mind,  inlaid 
with  virtue  and  grace,  is  equally  prepared  to  perform 
duties,  and  to  receive  privileges.  {Tiveg)  some;  as  Abra- 
ham and  Lot,  Gen.  xviii,  1,  2,  &c.  and  Gen.  xix,  12; 
who,  no  doubt,  are  referred  to  in  a  special  manner. 
Yet  I  dare  not  ascribe  it  to  them  alone,  exclusive  of 
all  others;  for  I  question  not  but  that,  in  those  ancient 


408  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  enxv.  i3. 

times,  wherein  God  so  much  used  the  ministry  of  an- 
gels about  the  church,  sundry  other  believers  were  vis- 
ited by  them  "unawares"  in  like  manner,  as  being  dis- 
posed to  receive  this  privilege  by  their  readiness  on  all 
occasions  to  entertain  strangers.  But  the  instances 
left  on  sacred  lecord  are  sufficient  to  the  apostle's  pur- 
pose. Now  this  reception  of  angels  was  a  great  hon- 
or to  them  that  receive  them,  and  so  intended  of  God; 
wherein  lies  the  force  of  the  reason  for  diligence  in 
this  duty.  How  could  they  have  any  greater  honor, 
than  for  glorious  angels  to  abide  and  converse  with 
them?  But  the  motive  here  used  does  not  consist  in 
this,  that  we  also  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty  may  re- 
ceive  angels  as  they  did,  nor  are  we  hereby  encour- 
aged to  expect  any  such  thing;  but  he  shews  hereby 
how  acceptable  to  God  this  duty  is,  and  how  highly  it 
is  honored;  whereon  we  may  in  the  discharge  of  the 
same  duty  hope  for  divine  approbation,  in  whatever 
way  it  seems  good  to  our  divine  Sovereign. 

§5.  This  they  did  (ehu^ov)  imat^ares.  It  is  observ- 
ed, that  on  the  appearance  of  these  angels  to  Abraham 
in  the  heat  of  the  day,  he  sat  in  the  door  of  his  tent, 
Gen.  xviii,  1;  and  at  their  appearance  to  Lot  in  the 
evening,  he  sat  in  the  gate  of  Sodom  where  strangers 
were  to  enter.  Gen.  xix,  1;  probably  both  of  them  at 
those  seasons  had  so  disposed  themselves  on  purpose, 
that  if  they  saw  any  strangers,  they  might  invite  and 
receive  them.  Unawares;  not  knowing  them  at  first 
to  be  angels,  though  afterwards  they  knew;  and  this 
may  be  laid  in  the  balance  against  all  those  fears  and 
scruples  which  are  apt  to  arise  in  our  minds  about  the 
entertainment  of  strangers,  that  they  are  not  so  good 
as  they  appear  or  pretend  to  be;  seeing  some  were 
so  much  better  and  more  honorable  than  what  at  fii^t 
they  seemed  to  be. 


Ver.  3.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  409 

§6.  Observe  hence, 

1.  Our  hearts  are  not  to  be  trusted  to  in  occasional 
duties,  if  not  preserved  in  a  continual  disposition  to- 
wards them;  if  that  be  lost,  no  argument  will  be  prev^ 
alent  to  engage  them  to  present  occasions. 

2.  The  mind  ought  continually  to  be  upon  its  watch, 
and  in  a  gracious  disposition  towards  such  duties  as  are 
attended  with  difficulties  and  charge. 

3.  Examples  of  privileges  annexed  to  duties,  (where- 
of the  scripture  is  full)  are  great  motives  and  incentives 
to  the  like  duties. 

4.  Faith  will  make  use  of  the  highest  privileges  that 
ever  were  enjoyed  in  the  performance  of  duties  to  en- 
courage to  obedience,  though  it  expects  not  any  thing 
of  the  same  kind,  or  the  performance  of  the  same 
duties. 

5.  When  men,  designing  that  which  is  good,  do 
more  good  than  they  intended,  they  shall  reap  mor^e 
benefit  thereby  than  they  expected. 

VERSE  3. 

Reme7nber  them  that  are  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them;  and  them 

tvhich  suffer  adversity f  as  being  yourselves  also  in  the  body. 

§1.  Of  brotherlj  love  towards  sufferers.  <$2.  Particularly  prisoners.  J3.  What 
implied  in  remembering  them.  §4.  And  thera  who  suffer  adversity,  $5.  A 
motive  to  it  subjoined.    $6,  7.  Observations, 

§1.  X  HE  first  branch  of  the  exercise  of  brotherly 
love  enjoined  was  towards  strangers;  the  next  is  to- 
wards sufferers;  that  is,  who  suffered  for  the  gospel. 
These  were  in  a  twofold  outward  condition;  some  in 
prisons  or  bonds,  and  some  variously  troubled  in  theij- 
names,  reputation,  goods,  and  enjoyments;  some  de- 
prived of  all,  and  all  of  some  of  these  things. 

§2.  (Twv  Jf(7|x/wv)  of  those  that  are  bound;  any  that 
are  in  prison,  whether  actually  bound  with  chains  or 


410  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

no,  because  all  prisoners  were  usually  so  bound,  Acts, 
xvi,  26;  this  was  esteemed  a  thing  shameful  as  well  as 
penal;  for  it  was  the  state  of  evil  doers.  But  the 
"word  of  God,"  as  the  apostle  speaks,  "is  not  bound," 
2  Tim.  ii,  9;  the  devil  was  never  able,  by  this  means,  to 
obscure  the  light,  or  stop  the  progress  of  the  gospel;  he 
and  his  agents  do  but  labor  in  vain.  Men  may,  but 
the  word  of  God  cannot  be  bound. 

§3.  The  duty  enjoined  with  respect  to  those  that  are 
bound  is,  that  we  (iJ^iixwiff^ea^e)  remember  them,  or  be 
mindful  of  them.  It  seems  those  that  are  at  liberty, 
are  apt  to  forget  Christ's  prisoners;  and  we  are  desired 
so  to  remember  or  think  of  them,  as  to  relieve  them  ac- 
cording to  our  ability.  It  implies — a  care  about  their 
persons  and  concernments,  as  opposed  to  that  regard- 
lessness  which  is  apt  to  possess  the  minds  of  those  that 
are  at  ease,  and,  as  they  suppose,  free  from  danger; 
compassion  towards  them,  as  if  bound  with  them:  the 
want  of  it  is  expressed  as  a  great  aggravation  of  the 
sufferings  of  our  Savior  himself;  Psal.  Ixix,  20,  "I  look- 
ed for  some  to  take  pity,  and  there  was  none;  and 
for  comforters,  but  I  found  none."  Prayer,  as  in  the 
case  of  Peter  when  he  was  in  bonds.  Acts  xii,  5.  As- 
sisiing  them  as  to  what  may  be  wanting  to  their  re- 
lief. To  supply  their  tioants  according  to  our  ability^ 
Visiting  them,  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  calls  the 
visiting  of  himself  in  person.  Matt,  xxv,  36 — 43. 
Where  this  attention  to  suffering  saints  is  not,  it  argues 
a  great  decay  in  the  power  of  religion;  aiid  there  are 
none  more  severely  reflected  on,  than  those  who  are  at 
ease  while  the  church  is  in  aftliction,  Psal.  cxxiii,  4 
Zech.  i,  15. 

§4.  But  that  we  may  not  suppose  our  love  and  duty 
to  be  confined  to  these  alone,  he  adds  all  that  undergo 
trouble  of  any  sort  for  the  profession  of  the  gospel: 


•Ver.  3.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  411 

''^nd  them  which  suffer  adversity:^''  all  that  is  adverse 
or  grievous  to  us,  as  sickness,  pain,  losses,  want,  and 
poverty,  reproaches,  contempt,  scorn,  turning  out  of 
secular  employments,  spoiling  of  goods,  stigmatizing, 
taking  away  of  children,  banishment,  every  thing  which 
we  may  undergo  in  and  for  our  profession. 

§5.  The  motive  added  to  the  diligent  discharge  of  the 
duty  enjoined,  is.  That  "we  ourselves  are  also  in  the 
body."  Were  you  indeed,  as  if  the  apostle  had  said, 
once  freed  from  the  body,  none  of  these  things  could 
reach  you;  but  whereas  you  are  in  the  same  state 
of  natural  life  witii  them,  equally  exposed  to  all 
the  sufferings  which  they  undergo,  be  they  of  what 
kind  they  will,  and  have  no  assurance  that  you  shall 
always  be  exempted  from  them,  this  ought  to  be  a 
motive  to  you  to  be  mindful  of  them  in  their  present 
sufferings.      This,  I  perceive,  is  the  sense  of  the  place. 

§6.   And  we  may  observe  from  hence; 

1.  Bonds  and  imprisonment  for  the  truth  were  con* 
sccrated  to  God,  and  made  honorable,  by  the  bonds 
and  imprisonment  of  Ciirist  himself;  and  commended 
to  the  church  in  all  ages  by  those  of  the  apostle  and 
primitive  witnesses  of  the  truth. 

2.  It  is  better,  more  safe  and  honorable,  to  be  ia 
bonds  for  Christ,  than  to  be  at  liberty  with  a  biutish, 
raging,  persecuting  world. 

3.  Whilst  God  is  pleased  to  give  grace  and  courage 
to  some  to  suffer  for  the  gospel  unto  bonds,  and  to 
others  to  perform  the  duty  here  recommended  to- 
wards them,  the  church  will  be  no  loser  by  suffering. 

4.  When  some  arc  tried  as  to  their  constancy  in 
bonds,  others  are  tried  as  to  their  sincerity  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  required  of  them  on  such  occa" 
sions.     And, 

VOL.  IV.  52 


412  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IS 

5.  Usually  more  fail  in  the  neglect  of  their  duty  to- 
wards sufferers,  and  so  fall  from  their  profession,  than 
do  so  fail  under  their  suiferiiigs. 

§7.  1.  Although  there  are  peculiar  duties  required 
of  us  towards  those  who  suffer  for  the  gospel  in  bonds, 
yet  we  are  not  hereon  discharged  from  the  same  kind 
of  duties  towards  those  who  suffer  in  lesser  degrees. 
And, 

2.  Not  only  those  who  are  in  bonds  for  the  gospel, 
or  suffer  in  an  high  degree  in  their  persons,  are  under 
the  special  care  of  Christ,  but  those  also  who  suffer  on 
the  same  account  in  any  other  kind  whatever,  though 
the  world  may  take  little  notice  of  them;  and  there- 
fore they  are  all  commended  to  our  special  remem- 
brance. 

3.  Professors  of  the  gospel  are  exempted  from  no 
sorts  of  adversity,  from  nothing  that  is  evil  and  grievous 
to  the  outward  man  in  this  world;  and  therefore  we 
ought  not  to  think  it  strange  when  we  fall  into  them. 

4.  That  we  have  no  security  of  freedom  from  any 
sort  of  suffering  for  the  gospel  whilst  we  are  in  the 
body,  or  during  the  continuance  of  our  natural  lives. 
Heaven  is  the  only  state  of  everlasting  rest.  Whilst 
we  have  our  bodily  eyes,  all  tears  will  not  be  wiped 
from  them. 

5.  We  are  not  only  exposed  to  afflictions  during 
this  life,  but  we  ought  to  live  in  the  continual  expecta- 
tion of  them,  so  long  as  there  are  any  in  the  world  who 
actually  suffer  for  the  gospel.  Not  to  expect  our  share 
in  trouble  and  persecution,  is  a  sinful  security  proceed- 
ing from  very  corrupt  principles  of  mind. 

(3.  A  sense  of  our  being  continually  obnoxious  to 
sufferings,  no  less  than  those  who  actually  suffer,  ought 
to  incline  our  minds  to  a  diligent  consideration  of  them 
in  their  sufferings,  so  as  to  discharge  all  duties  of  love 
and  helpfulness  towards  them. 


V£H.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS-  413 

7.  Unless  we  do  so,  we  can  have  no  evidence  of  our 
present  interest  in  the  same  mystical  body  with  them, 
nor  just  expectation  of  any  compassion  or  relief  from 
others,  when  we  ourselves  are  called  to  sufferings. 
What  a  severe  self-reflection  must  we  charge  ourselves 
with  for  want  of  due  compassion  for  those  who  were 
in  that  cQndition  before  us! 

VERSK  4. 

Marriage  is  honorable  in  all,  and  the   bed  undeJUedf   but  whore^ 

mongers  and  adulterers  God  will  judge. 

51.  Occasion  and  Jesign  of  the  words.  $2.  Exposition.  Marriage  is  honorable 
in  all.  ^3.  And  the  bed  undetited.  0.  The  dreadful  doom  of  whuremongers 
and  adulterers.    §5,  6.  Observations. 

§1.  X  HIS  declaration  refers,  undoubtedly,  to  some 
principles  and  practices  that  were  then  current  in  the 
world.  And  these  were,  that  marriage  was  at  least 
burthensome,  and  a  kind  of  bondage  to  sone  men,  es- 
pecially an  hinderance  to  them  that  were  contempla- 
tive, and  that  fornication  was  at  least  a  thirg  indifferent, 
which  men  might  allow  themseUts  in,  though  adul- 
iei^y  were  to  be  condemned.  In  opposition  to  tiiese 
cursed  principles  and  practices,  the  apostle,  designing  to 
commend  and  enjoin  chastity  to  all  professors  of  the 
gospel,  declares,  on  the  one  side,  the  honorable  state  of 
matrimony  from  divine  institution;  and  on  the  other, 
the  wickedness  of  that  lasciviousness  wherein  they  al- 
lowed themselves,  with  the  certainty  of  divine  ven- 
geance which  would  befall  them  who  continued  in  it. 
There  was  just  reason,  therefore,  why  the  apostle 
should  insinuate  the  prescription  of  the  duty  intended 
by  a  declaration  of  the  {lonor  of  that  state  which  God 
had  appointed  for  the  preservation  of  chastity.  Sec 
ITijTi.  iv,3. 


4U  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  l-G. 

§2.  The  preposition  (fv)  when  applied  to  persons, 
is  constantly  used  in  the  New  Testament  for  (inter) 
among;  Beza,  (inter  quosvis)  among  all,  that  is,  all 
sorts  of  persons.  The  apostle  doth  not  assert  that 
marriage  was  a  thing  in  good  reputation  among  all 
men,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  but  that  it  is  honorable  in  all 
sorts  of  persons,  who  enter  into  it  according  to  the  law 
of  God  and  righteous  laws  among  men.  For  by  a 
defect  herein  it  may  be  rendered  highly  disJionorable. 

Again;  it  must  be  a  marriage  of  two  individual  per- 
sons, and  no  more,  according  to  the  law  of  creation 
and  divine  institution,  {{or  poly g ami/  was  never  hon- 
orable;) it  must  not  be  of  persoiiS  within  the  degrees  of 
consanguinity  laid  under  divine  prohibition,  (incest 
being  no  less  dishonorable  than  adultery;)  there  must  al- 
so be  a  concurrence  of  all  necessary  circumstances  both 
of  mind  and  body  in  the  married;  such  as  have  pow- 
er over  their  own  persons,  freedom  in  choice  or  con- 
sent, personal  mutual  vow  or  contract,  natural  meetness 
for  the  duties  of  marriage,  and  the  like.  Wherefore 
that  marriage  is  honorable,  which,  on  the  ground  and 
warranty  of  divine  institution, is  "a  lawful  conjunction 
of  one  man  and  one  woman  by  their  just  and  full  con- 
sent, into  an  indissoluble  union,  (whereby  they  be- 
come one  flesh)  for  the  procuration  of  children,  and 
mutual  assistance  in  all  things  divine  and  human  " 
I  shall  only  add,  that  as  the  legitimate  and  orderly 
continuation  of  the  human  race  depends  hereon,  so 
whatever  is  of  virtue,  honor,  comeliness,  or  order 
amongst  men;  whatever  is  praiseworthy  and  useful  in 
all  societies  economical,  ecclesiastical  or  political,  pro- 
ceeds from  the  principle  here  asserted.  All  to  whom 
children  are  dear,  relations  useful,  inheritances  valua- 
ble, and  God's  approbation  is  preferred  to  sordid  un- 


Ver.  4.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  415 

cleanness  and  eternal  ruin,  ought  to  account  this  state 
honorable. 

Nor  is  there  any  sort,  order  or  degree  of  men,  by 
reason  of  any  calling,  work,  or  employment,  but  that 
marriage  is  an  honorable  state  to  them.  I'his  is  the 
plain  sense  of  the  words.  However,  if  the  phrase 
(ev  %uai)  should  be  rendered  ''in  all  thingSy'  or  every 
manner  of  way,  the  popish  notion  of  celibacy  can 
never  escape  the  force  of  this  divine  testimony  against 
it.  For,  is  it  lawful  for  them  to  esteem  and  call  that 
so  vile,  as  to  be  unmeet  for  some  order  or  sort  of  men 
among  them,  which  God  hath  declared  to  be  honora- 
ble "in  all  things"  "or  evei'y  manner  oficay?''^  I  shall 
only  say,  that  their  impiety  in  imposing  the  necessity 
of  single  life  on  all  their  ecclesiastics,  wherein  they 
have  usurped  divine  authority  over  the  consciences  of 
men,  hath  been  openly  pursued  by  divine  vengeance,  in 
giving  it  up  to  be  an  occasion  of  multiplying  such 
horrid  uncleannesses  as  have  been  scandalous  to  the 
Christian  religion,  and  ruinous  to  the  souls  of  millions. 

§3.  To  the  state  of  marriage,  the  apostle  adds  the 
consideration  of  the  duties  of  it  in  that  expression,  (ho/7/. 
Kix^iavlog)  the  bed  undejiled.  And  two  things  are  here 
intended: — the  honorable  state  of  marriage  as  oppos- 
ed to  the  defiled  bed  of  whoremongers  and  adulterers; 
and — the  preservation  of  marriage  duties  within  their 
due  boUiids,  1  Thes.  iv,  3 — 5;  1  Cor.  vii,  2 — 5;  for, 
in  that  respect,  there  may  be  many  pollutions  even  of 
the  marriage  bed. 

From  this  state  and  use  of  marriage — the  means  ap- 
pointed of  God  for  the  preservation  of  the  purity  and 
chastity  of  our  persons — the  aggravation  of  the  con- 
trary sin  is  enormous.  Who  can  express  the  detesta- 
ble wickedness  of  forsaking  those  divine  appointments, 
in  contempt  of  the  authority  and  wisdom  of  God,  by 


4ia  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  CitAf.  15. 

any  seekirig  the  satisfaction  of  their  lusts  in  ways  inju- 
rious to  others,  debasing  and  defiling  to  themselves? 
Yes,  they  disturb  the  whole  order  of  nature  and  drown 
themselves  in  everlasting  perdition. 

§4.  "Bat  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will 
judge."  The  distinction  between  (Topva?  and  yioixa?) 
whoremongers  and  adulterers^  is  allowed  by  all  to  be 
this;  that  the  former  are  single  persons;  and  the  latter 
are  those  who  are  both,  or  else  one  of  them  in  a  mar- 
ried state.  The  sin  of  the  first  is  fornication,  of  the 
other,  adultery;  although  the  words  (Tropvu&i  and  Topvefa) 
may  sometimes  be  used  to  denote  any  uncleanness  in 
general,  and  so  to  comprise  adultery  also.  Some  have 
fallen  into  that  degree  of  imprudence  in  our  days,  as 
to  countenance  themselves  with  the  opinion  and  prac- 
tices of  some  of  the  heathen,  who  thought  that  for- 
nication was  no  sin,  or  a  matter  not  much  to  be  i^^ 
garded.  But  shall  we  suppose  that  our  holy  religion, 
which  condemneth  our  inward  lusting  of  the  heart  af- 
ter a  woman  without  any  outward  act  as  a  sin  worthy 
of  judgment,  gives  countenance  to,  or  rather  doth  not 
most  severely  condemn  actual  fornication?  It  is  to 
be  feared  that  if  magistrates  and  those  who  are  public 
ministers  in  the  nation,  do  not  take  more  care  than 
hitherto  hath  been  used,  for  the  restraint  of  this  rag- 
ing abomination,  divine  judgments  on  the  whole  na- 
tion, on  its  account  will  speedily  satisfy  men's  scruples^ 
whether  it  be  a  sin  or  no. 

For  adulterers,  who  are  mentioned  in  the  next 
place,  there  is  no  question  amongst  any  about  the 
heinousness  of  their  sin;  and  the  common  interest  of 
mankind  keeps  up  a  detestation  of  it.  But  it  is  here, 
together  with  fornication,  reserved  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner to  divine  vengeance,  because  for  the  most  part  it 
is  kept  Bccret,  and  ^o  free  from  human  cognizance, 


Vek.4.  EPISTJ-E  to  the  HEBREWS.  4lf 

and  because — although  the  divine  law  made  it  punish- 
able by  death,  yet — for  the  most  part  it  ever  passes  in 
the  world  under  a  less  severe  punishment. 

But  whatever  such  persons  think  of  themselves,  or 
others  think  of  them,  ''God  [ytpivei)  will  jiidge'^  and 
condemn  them,  at  the  final  judgment  of  the  great  day; 
they  shall  not  be  acquitted,  but  (having  persisted  in 
their  detestable  practice)  they  shall  be  eternally  damn- 
ed. And  there  is  an  emphasis  in  the  expression,  "God 
will  judge;"  wherein  we  may  see,  that  the  special  ag- 
gravations of  these  sins  expose  men  to  a  sore  condem- 
nation in  a  peculiar  manner,  1  Cor.  iii,  17;  vi,  16 — 19. 
Although  the  state  of  men  may  be  changed;  and  divine 
vn-ath  due  to  those  sins  be  finally  escaped  by  repent- 
ance; yet  it  may  be  observed,  that  those  who  are  ha- 
bitually given  up  to  these  lusts  of  the  flesh  are  of  all 
others  the  most  rarely  brought  to  effectual  repentance. 

§5.  And  we  may  observe, 

1.  Divine  institution  is  sufficient  to  render  any  state 
or  condition  of  life  honorable. 

2.  The  more  useful  any  state  of  life  is,  the  more 
honorable  it  is;  the  honor  of  marriage  arises  much 
from  its  usefulness. 

3.  That  which  is  honorable  by  divine  institution, 
and  useful  in  its  own  nature,  may  be  abused  and  ren- 
dered vile  by  the  miscarriages  of  men. 

4.  It  is  a  bold  usurpation  of  authority  over  the 
consciences  of  men,  and  contempt  of  the  authority  of 
God,  to  forbid  that  state  to  any  which  God  hath  de- 
clared honorable  to  all. 

5.  Means  for  chastity  and  purity  not  ordained,  nor 
sanctified  to  that  end,  will  prove  fartherances  of  im- 
purity and  uncleanness,  or  worse  evils. 

6.  The  state  of  marriage  being  honorable  in  the 
sight  of  God  himself,  it  is  the  duty  of  them  that  enter 


418  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13 

thereinto  duly  to  consider  how  they  may  approve  theif 
consciences  to  God  in  what  they  do. 

§6.  1.  Conjugal  duties  regulated  by  the  bounds  as«^ 
signed  them  by  natural  light,  with  the  general  rules  of 
scripture,  and  subservient  to  the  due  ends  of  marriage, 
are  honorable,  giving  no  cause  of  pollution  or  shame. 

2.  Whatever  slight  thoughts  men  may  have  of  sin, 
any  sin,  the  judgment  of  God,  which  is  according  to 
truth,  must  stand  for  ever.  To  have  slight  thoughts  of 
sin,  will  prove  no  relief  to  sinners. 

3.  Fornication  and  adultery  are  deserving  of  eternal 
damnation.  If  the  due  wages  of  all  sin  be  death^ 
much  more  of  so  great  abominations. 

4.  Men  living  and  dying  impenitently  in  these  sins, 
shall  eternally  perish;  or  an  habitual  course  in  them 
is  utterly  inconsistent  with  any  spark  of  saving  grace- 
See  Ephes.  V,  5;  1  Tim.  i,  10;  Rev.  xxi,  8;  xxi,  15. 


VERSES  5,  6. 
Z.et  your  conversation  he  without  covetousness^  and  be  content 
with  such  things  as  ye  have^for  he  hath  said^  I  will  never  leave 
thee  nor  forsake  thee;  so  that  we  may  boldly  say,  the  Lord  is 
my  hellier,  and  I  will  not  fear  ivhat  man  shall  do  unto  me. 

§1.  Transition  from  particular  duties  to  what  is  more  general.  The  Christian's 
universal  walk  before  God;  which  should  be  without  covetousness.  $2.  With 
contentment.  ^3  4.  Enforced  by  a  divine  promise.  §5.  The  apostle'*  infer- 
ence.    §6,  7,  Observations. 


§1.  1  ROM  particular  duties  the  apostle  proceeds  to 
that  which  is  more  general,  which  relates  to  our  whole 
course  of  walking  with  God.  Our  '■^ conversation^^ 
here  includes  both  the  frame  of  our  minds,  and  the 
moral  manner  of  our  acting,  in  all  that  we  do  about 
the  things  pertaining  to  this  life;  and  because  of  this 
restriction  of  it  to  our  actings  about  the  things  of  ilii<i 
life,  the  apostle  useth  the  word  [t^o'koq,  mos,  or  mores) 
custom^  and  not  the  other  word  («v«?pc^ii)  which  ex- 


Veh.  5,  6.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  410 

pressetli  our  timversal  walk  with  God,  in  all  holy  obe- 
dience, Phil,  i,  27;  iii,  20;  Jam.  iii,  13;  1  Pet.  i,  15; 
2  Pet.  iii,  11;  the  ordering  of  our  conversation  aright  in 
this  matter  is  of  great  importance  in  our  Christian  pro- 
fession; and  for  the  direction  of  it  the  apostle  gives  this 
rule,  that  it  be  {aCpiXapyv^iu)  'without  covetousness. 
Covetousness  ((piXu(>yvf^iu)  is  an  inordinate  desire  and 
endeavor  after  the  enjoyment  of  more  riches  than  we 
have,  or  that  God  is  pleased  to  give  us,  proceeding  from 
an  undue  valuation  of  them  or  love  to  them,  1  Tim. 
vi,  6 — 10;  a  vice  this,  which,  by  its  effects,  manifests 
itself  always  to  be  contrary  to  the  light  of  nature,  as 
debasing  the  minds  of  men.  making  them  useless,  and 
exposing  them  to  all  manner  of  vile  practices;  hence  it 
was  always  stigmatized  by  sober  heathens,  as  one  of 
the  vilest  affections  of  the  human  mind;  and  there  is 
nothing  which  the  scripture  more  severely  condemns, 
or  upon  which  it  denounces  more  inevitable  punish- 
ment. Covetousness  is  idolatry,  Col.  iii,  5;  but  hereof 
there  are  many  degrees;  where  it  is  predominant,  the 
scripture  absolutely  excludes  those  in  whom  it  is  from 
life  and  salvation,  amongst  the  most  profligate  sinners; 
but  there  may  be  smaller  degrees  of  inordinate  desires 
after  earthly  things,  in  believers,  which  are  a  subject 
of  mortification  all  their  days:  when  men  are  spoijed 
of  their  goods,  and  in  danger  of  losing  all,  it  is  apt  to 
stir  up  in  them  earnest  and  inordinate  desires  aftet* 
somewhat  more  than  they  have,  and  not  to  be  content 
with  what  is  present,  which  the  apostle  declares  to  be 
covetousness;  this  he  would  have  us  to  be  free  from  at 
all  times,  especially  in  times  of  persecution;  to  which 
he  plainly  had  respect. 

§2.  In  Opposition  hereunto  we  are  enjoined  to  be 
^  content  with  such  things  as  we  have;"  without  com" 
plaining  or  repining  at   God's  providential  disposals 

VOL.  IV.  .53 


429  EXPOSITION  Ol'  THE  Chap.  13. 

of  our  outward  concerns;  without  envy  at  the  more 
prosperous  condition  of  others;  without  ^ea»^s  and 
anxious  cares  about  future  supplies;  and  without  de- 
sires and  designs  of  those  things  which  a  more  plenti- 
ful condition  than  what  we  are  in  would  supply  us 
with;  this  contentment  is  with  respect  to  [toiq  rapa^iv] 
'such  things  as  are  'presentf^  as  opposed  to  things 
which  are  not  present  with  us  in  our  present  condition, 
and  therefore  denote  "such  things  as  we  have;"  yet 
are  not  things  only  intended,  but  in  general  the  state 
and  condition  wherein  we  are,  as  of  poverty,  or  afflic- 
tions, or  persecutions,  or  of  more  enlargement  in  earth- 
ly things;  see  Phil,  i,  11;  and  the  measure  of  them,  in 
ordinary  cases,  is  food  and  raiment,  as  the  rule  is  giv- 
en US;  1  Tim.  vi,  8,  "having  food  and  raiment,  let  us 
be  therewith  content;"  not  that  we  are  allowed  to 
be  discontented  if  we  ijoant  them;  but  that  these  are 
such  a  sufficiency  as  may  be  deemed  a  rational  obliga- 
tion to  contentment;  but  among  other  evils  that  we 
may  undergo  for  the  gospel,  we  may  be  called  to  en- 
dure hunger  and  nakedness,  Rom.  viii,  35;  and  we 
are  obliged  to  be  therewith  content;  for  contentment 
in  things  present  doth  not  arise  from  any  measure, 
great  or  small,  of  the  things  themselves  which  we  en- 
joy, but  depends  on  the  presence  of  God  with  us,  and 
the  annexed  reward,  as  follows: 

§3.  -'For  he  hath  said;"  he  who  alone  hath  all  being 
and  existence  in  himself;  he  who  is  all  in  all;  he  who 
is  over  all,  the  supreme  Disposer  of  all  things  in  heaven 
and  eaith,  in  whose  hand  and  power  are  all  the  con- 
cerns of  men,  who  can  do  whatever  he  pleaseth;  "/le 
haih  said  it" 

"  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee."  It  is 
observed  by  all,  that  there  is  a  "cehement  negation   m 


Ver.  5,  6.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  4^21 

the  latter  clause,  by  a  multiplication  of  the  negaii'ce 
particles  (bS',  s,  /xvi,)  seeing  two  of  them  are  used  in  the 
jformer  clause;  the  design  of  it  is,  to  obviate  all  objec- 
tions which  fear  and  unbelief  may  raise  against  the 
assurance  given,  under  a  pretence  of  some  peculiarity 
of  circumstances;  be  they  what  they  will,  saith  God, 
^'l  will  not  at  any  time,  on  any  occasion,  for  any  cause, 
leave  thee  or  forsake  thee." 

In  the  negative  expressions,  positive  blessings  are 
contained,  and  those  distinct  also  as  the  expressions 
are;  by  the  one,  the  continuance  of  GorVs  presence  is 
intended;  by  the  other,  the  continuance  of  his  help; 
I  will  not  leave  thee;  or  withdraw  my  presence  from 
thee;  I  will  nt^ver  forsake  thee;  or  suffer  thee  to  be 
helpless  in  any  trouble. 

Wherefore  the  vehcmency  of  the  expression,  by  the 
multiplication  of  the  negative  particles,  is  an  effect  of 
divine  condescension;  to  give  the  utmost  security  to  the 
faith  of  believers  in  all  their  trials. 

§4.  There  is  a  promise  to  this  purpose  given  to  Sol- 
omon by  David,  in  the  name  of  God;  "the  Lord  God, 
even  my  God,  he  will  be  with  thee,  he  will  not  fail 
thee,  nor  forsake  thee,''''  1  Chron.  xxviii,  20;  and  it  is 
frequently  repeated  to  the  church,  as  to  the  substance 
of  it,  see  Isa.  xli,  10 — 13;  but  it  is  generally  granted, 
that  this  promise  is  that  which  God  made  to  Joshua,  when 
he  gave  him  in  charge  the  great  work  fof  destroying 
the  enemies  of  the  cliurch  in  the  land  of  Canaan;  Jos. 
i,  5,  "  I  will  not  fail  thee,  nor  forsake  thee;"  now 
though  this  promise  was  personal,  and  given  to  Josh- 
ua on  account  of  that  great  and  difficult  undertaking; 
yet — seeing  the  dangers  and  difficulties  which  every 
believer  is  to  undergo  in  the  spiritual  warfare,  espec- 
ially in  times  of  persecution  and  extraordinary  trials, 
are  no  less  than  those  that  Joshua  underwent  in  his 


42S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

wars;  and  seeing  they  stand  in  no  less  need  of  the  spe- 
cial presence  and  assistance  of  God  to  overcome  them, 
than  he  did — God  thereby  expressly  declared  how  he 
will  deal  with  all  believers  in  every  state  and  condi- 
tion that  he  calls  them  to;  their  faith  stands  in  need  of 
the  same  support,  the  same  encouragement  with  that 
of  Joshua,  and  it  is  resolved  into  the  same  principles — 
the  presence  and  assistance  of  God;  wherefore,  all  the 
promises  made  to  the  church,  and  every  particular 
member  of  it  for  the  use  of  the  church,  are  made 
equally  io  the  whole  church,  and  every  member  of  it,  in 
every  age,  according  as  the  grace  and  mercy  of  it  are 
suited  to  their  state  and  condition;  herein  then  lieth  the 
force  of  the  apostle's  argument;  that  if  God  hath  said 
unto  every  one  of  us,  what  he  said  to  Joshua, — that  he 
will  never  leave  us  as  to  his  perseace,  nor  forsake  us  as 
to  his  ^'assistance" — we  have  sufficient  ground  to  cast 
away  all  inordinate  desires  of  earthly  things,  all  fears 
of  want  and  other  pressures,  and  to  rest  quiet  and  con- 
tented with  his  undertaking  for  us. 

§5.  "So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  the  Lord  is  my 
helper,  and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do  unto  me," 
we  may  every  one  of  us  say,  as  David  did  in  the  like 
case,  and  in  his  confidence  of  the  same  promise  of  the 
divine  presence  and  assistance  that  is  given  also  to  us; 
Psal  cxviii,  6,  "The  Lord  is  on  my  side,"  (for  me, 
my  helper)  I  will  not  fear;  what  can  man  do  unto  me? 
To  the  same  purpose  the  Psalmist  speaks,  Psal.  Ivi,  3, 
4,  11. 

"5o  that  we  may  boldly  say;"  by  what  is  said  to  us 
we  are  enabled  and  justified  thus  to  say  ourselves; 
boldly,  {^uppHvrag  v(xcig}  %ce  being  bold,  using  confidence; 
to  intimate  our  duty  on  this  occasion,  which  is  to  cast 
out  all  fears,  every  thing  |hat  might  intimidate  our 
spirits,  or  disquiet  our  minds,  or  hinder  us  from  making 


Ver.  5,  6.       EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  4^3 

our  cheerful  profession  of  our  confidence  in  God;  for 
we  are  (Xtyeiv)  to  say  what  wc  believe,  yea,  to  glory  and 
make  our  boast  in  God  against  all  opposition. 

In  the  application  of  this  testimony,  Psal.  Ivi,  4; 
the  apostle  supposeth  that  David  spoke  these  words  in 
the  person  of  the  ruchole  church,  or  on  the  general  right 
of  all  true  believers;  for  having  the  same  grounds  of  it 
that  he  had,  they  may  use  the  same  confidence  that 
he  did,  though  their  outward  circumstances  be  specif- 
ically different;  in  whatever  befalls  us  we  may  boldly 
say — "we  will  not  fear;"  for,  if  God  be  for  us,  who 
shall  be  against  us? 

This  help  of  God,  which  believers  are  assured  of  in 
their  trials,  is  either  internal,hy  supplies  of  grace,  spir- 
itual strength  of  consolation,  enabling  them  with  a  vic- 
torious frame  of  mind  to  go  through  all  the  difficul- 
ties and  dangers  of  their  conflict  with  certain  success; 
or  eternal,  in  actual  deliverance  by  the  destruction  of 
their  adversaries;  both  which  are  frequently  exemplifi- 
ed in  the  scripture,  and  by  more  recent  experience. 

§6.  And  that  which  we  are  taught  from  hence,  is; 

1.  All  coi?etoMS?ie55  is  inconsistent  with  a  Christian 
conversation;  nor  is  there  any  thing  at  this  day,  that; 
doth  more  stain  the  glory  of  our  Christian  profession. 

2.  Covetousness,  in  any  degree,  is  highly  dangerous 
in  a  time  of  suflering  for  the  gospel;  for  there  is  no  sin 
that  so  intimidates  the  spirits  and  weakens  ^11  resolu- 
tion, at  such  a  time  as  this  doth;  it  is  always  accom- 
panied with  distrust  of  God,  an  over  vakiation  of 
earthly  things,  anxiety  and  disquietude  of  mind,  irreg- 
ular contrivances  for  supply,  and  reserves  of  trust  in 
what  men  have,  with  other  evils  innumerable. 

3.  The  divine  presence,  and  divine  assistance^ 
which  are  inseparable,  are  the  spring  of  suitable  and 
sufficient  relief  to  believers  in  cvcrv  condition. 


424.  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

4.  Especially  the  due  consideration  of  them  is  abun- 
dantly sufficient  to  rebuke  all  covetous  inclinations 
and  desires,  which,  without  it  will,  be  prevalent  in  a 
time  of  straits. 

5.  The  cheerful  profession  of  confidence  in  God 
against  all  opposition,  and  in  the  midst  of  distresses, 
is  what  believers  have  a  warrant  for  in  the  promises. 

6.  As  the  use  of  this  confidence  is  our  incumbent 
duty,  so  it  is  a  duty  highly  honorable  to  the  profes- 
sion of  the  gospel. 

§7.  1.  All  believers  have,  in  their  sufferings,  a  re- 
freshing, supporting  interest  in  divine  aid,  thf  promises 
being  made  to  them  all  equally  in  their  suffering  state, 
even  as  they  were  to  the  prophets  and  apostles  of  old. 

2.  It  is  their  duty  to  express  with  confidence  and 
boldness,  at  all  times,  their  assurance  of  the  divine  as- 
sistance declared  in  the  promises  to  their  own  encour- 
agement, the  edification  of  the  church,  and  the  terror 
of  their  adversaries.  Phil,  i,  28. 

3.  Faith  duly  fixed  on  the  power  of  God,  as  engag- 
ed for  the  assistance  of  believersin  their  sufferings,  will 
give  them  a  contempt  of  all  that  men  can  do  unto 
them. 

4.  The  most  effectual  means  to  encourage  our  souls 
in  all  our  sufferings,  is  to  compare  the  power  of  God, 
who  will  assist  us,  and  that  of  man  oppressing  us, 
Matt.  X,  28. 

5.  That  which  in  our  sufferings  delivereth  us  from 
the  fear  of  men,  takes  out  all  that  is  evil  in  them,  and 
secures  our  success. 


VERSE  7. 
Remember  them  which  have  the  rule  over  you^  who    have  sfioken 
unto  you  the  word  of  God;  nuhose  faith  follow,  con^der^ng  (f,i 
end  of  their  conversation. 


Ver.  7.         EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  425 

52.  Introduction  and  design  §'2,  3.  Of  remembering  our  teachers-  §4,  Imita- 
ting their  faith.  5§.  Regarding  the  end  of  llieir  conversation,  S6«  Observa- 
tion. 

§1.  From  a  prescription  of  the  forgoing  duties  of 
moralHij,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  those  which  concern 
faith  and  'worship,  laying  the  foundation  of  them  in 
that  respect,  v\  hich  is  due  to  those  who  declare  to  us 
the  words  of  truth  for  their  work's  sake,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  example  which  they  give  us. 

That  which  the  apostle  designs  in  the  following  dis- 
course is,  perseverance  in  the  faith,  and  profession  of 
the  truth,  in  opposition  to  an  inclination  to  "various 
and  strange  doctrines,"  ver.  8. 

§2.  "Them  which  have  the  rule  over  you;"  so 
Erasmus,  (eorum  qui  vobis  prcBsimt)  of  them  rwho 
preside  over  you;  but  it  is  an  evident  mistake.  What 
seems  to  have  led  into  it  is,  that  the  word  (y^ysfi.evog)  is 
a  participle  of  the  present  tense;  but  it  is  most  fre- 
quently used  as  a  noun,  and  so  it  is  here.  It  is  used 
repeatedly  in  this  chapter,  ver.  7,  17,  24;  for  an  officer 
or  officers  in  the  church;  that  is,  such  as  go  before  and 
direct  it,  which  is  the  nature  of  their  office;  bishops, 
pastors,  elders,  who  preside  in  the  church  to  guide  itj 
for  they  have  such  a  rule  as  consists  principally  in 
spiritual  guidance. 

And,  by  the  description  following,  it  is  evident,  that 
the  apostle  intends  all  who  had  preached  the  word  of 
God  to  them,  whether  apostles,  evangelists  as  pastors, 
who  had  now  finished  their  course. 

(Mvvi/xovfuflf)  remember  them;  be  mindful  of  them, 
so  as  to  "esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their 
works  sake,"  1  Thes.  v,  13;  and  the  same  respect  we 
are  to  have  for  them  when  they  have  finished  their 
work.  Suddenly  to  forget  them,  is  an  evidence,  that 
we  have  not  profited  much  by  their  labors.  We  ought. 


i26  EXPOSITION  Of  THE  Chap.  13. 

therefore,  affectionately  to  remember  them  in  what  they 
did  and  taught,  so  as  to  follow  them  in  their  faith  and 
conversation.  Alas!  how  many  have  we  had,  and 
how  many  have  we  now,  who  have  left,  or  are  likely 
to  leave,  nothing  to  be  remembered,  but  what  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  church  to  abhor!  How  many  whose  use- 
lesness  leads  them  into  everlastiiig  oblivion! 

§3.  "Who  have  spoken  unto  you  the 'word  of  God. ^^ 
This  is  the  characteristic  note  of  church  guides. 
Those  who  do  not  labor  to  the  edification  of  the 
church,  let  them  pretend  what  they  will,  are  not  es- 
teemed by  Christ,  as  acceptable  guides  or  rulers;  nor 
is  the  honorable  remembrance  of  them  any  duty, 
^'^  The  word  of  God;'''  the  written  word;  including  the 
vocal  speaking  of  persons  divinely  inspired  by  virtue 
of  new  revelations.  And  whereas  the  word  of  the 
gospel  is  principally  intended,  this  speaking  may  com- 
prise the  apostolical  writing  also. 

This  "word  of  God"  is  the  sole  object  of  the  church's 
faith;  and  the  only  outward  means  of  communicating 
to  it  the  mind  and  grace  of  God,  wherefore  upon  it 
the  being,  life,  and  blessedness  of  the  church  depend. 

§4.  '■'Whose  faith  folloiv;'^  so  mind  them  and  their 
work  in  preaching  the  word  of  God,  as  to  follow^ 
{ihi[heia^ai)  to  imitate  them;  to  copy  their  example  in  a 
lively,  expressive  manner,  and  particularly  their  faith; 
the  grace  of  faith,  whereby  they  believed  the  truth,  and 
its  exercise  in  all  they  did  and  suffered.  Their  faith 
was  that  which  purified  their  hearts,  and  made  them 
fruitful  in  their  lives. 

§5.  "Considering  the  end  of  their  (avag^cCp'/j)  conver- 
sation;^'' the  way  or  course  of  their  walking  and  con- 
verse in  the  world,  with  respect  to  moral  duties,  and 
the  whole  of  their  obedience.  I'his  conversation  of 
theirs  had  now  received  its  {s-A(iuaig)  end;  the  word  sig- 


Ver.  8.  Et'ISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  427 

nifies  an  end  accompanied  with  a  deliverance  frotn,  and 
so  a  conquest  over,  such  difficulties  and  dangers  as 
they  were  before  exposed  to.  These  persons,  in  the 
whole  course  of  their  conversation  were  exercised  with 
difficulties,  dangers,  and  sufferings,  all  attempting  to 
stop  them  in  their  way,  or  to  turn  them  out  of  it.  But 
what  did  it  all  amount  to?  what  was  the  issue  of  their 
conflict?  It  was  a  blessed  deliverance  from  all  troubles, 
and  a  complete  conquest  over  them.  Their  faith  fail- 
ied  not,  their  hope  did  not  perish,  they  were  not  dis- 
appointed; but  had  a  blessed  end  of  their  walk  and 
course. 

This  they  were  advised  to  consider^  (um^eoopsvleg)  not 
with  a  slight  transient  thought,  with  which  we  usu- 
ally pass  over  such  things,  but  a  reiterated  contempla- 
tion of  the  matter,  with  its  causes  and  circumstances; 

§6.  A  due  consideration  of  the  faith  of  those  who 
have  been  before  us,  especially  of  such  who  w^ere 
constant  in  sufferings;  and  above  all,  those  who  were 
so  unto  death,  as  the  holy  martyrs  in  former  and  latter 
ages,  is  an  effectual  means  to  stir  us  up  to  the  same 
exercise  of  faith,  when  we  are  called  to  it.  And  hap- 
py had  it  been,  if  men's  hnitaiion  of  former  ages  had 
kept  itself  within  these  bounds. 

VERSE  8. 
Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  for  ever. 

51.  The  occasion  of  t'lc  words.  '52.  The  Scteinian  gloss  refuted.  Expositorj 
remarks.  §3.  Concerning  the  connexion  and  use  of  the  words.  §4.  Obser- 
vations. 

§1.     X  Wo  things  are  to  be  considered  in  these  words; 
first  the  occasion  of  them;   and  then  their  sense  and 
meaning.  Andastothe  occasion  of  their  use  in  this  place* 
VOL.  IV.  -  54 


^ai.  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IS. 

to  me  they  appear  as  a  glorious  light,  which  the  apos- 
tle sets  up  to  guide  our  minds  in  the  consideration  of 
his  whole  discourse,  that  we  may  see  whence  it  all  pro- 
ceeds, and  whereunto  it  tends.  He  is  the  alpha  and 
omega,  the  first  and  the  last;  the  beginner  and  the  fin- 
isher of  our  faith. 

§2.  There  are  various  interpretations  of  the  words 
{x^sQ  'Aiii  ^v)jXfpov)  yesterday  and  to  day;  Eniedinus  says, 
that  by  "yesterday^^  (%6f(;)  a  "short  time  before"  is  in- 
tended; that  which  was  of  late,  viz.  since  the  birth  of 
Christ  at  most,  which  was  not  long  before.  He  is  fol- 
lowed by  Schlictingius,  and  all  the  Socinians.  But 
there  cannot  be  given  a  more  absurd  interpretation;  for 
Vv^henwe  say  of  any  one,  that  he  is  of  yesterday,  (%9f? 
nui  ^poviv)  it  is  spoken  of  him  in  contempt;  "we  are  of 
yesterday,  and  know  nothing,"  Job  viii,  9.  But  the 
design  of  the  apostle  (which  is  our  clue)  is  to  utter 
that  which  tends  to  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  not  to 
his  diminution.  And  the  scripture  expressions  of  him 
to  this  purpose  are — "He  was  in  the  beginning;  he 
was  with  God;  he  was  God,"  &c. 

But  clearly  to  comprehend  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  herein,  sundry  things  are  to  be  observed.     As, 

1.  That  it  is  the  person  of  Christ  that  it  is  spoken 
of;  nor  is  this  whole  name  {Uasg  Xpio'log)  Jesus  Christy 
ever  used  for  any  other  purpose.  It  is  false,  therefore, 
that  it  is  here  taken  metonymically  for  his  doctrine, 
or  for  the  gospel;  nor,  indeed,  would  such  a  sense  be 
any  way  to  the  aposrle's  purpose.     Yet, 

2.  He  speaks  not  of  his  person  absolutely,  but  with 
respect  to  his  office,  and  his  discharge  of  it,  or  he  de- 
clares who  and  what  he  was  therein. 

3.  It  is  from  his  divine  Person,  that,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  office,  he  was  (uvlog)  the  same.  So  it  is 
suid  of  him  (chap,  i,  12,  av  ds  o  avlog  ei)  "But  thou  art 


i 


Veh.  8.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  429 

the  same;"  that  is,  eternal,  immutable,  indeficieni. 
Wherefore, 

4.  There  is  no  need  to  fix  a  determinate,  distinct 
sense  as  to  the  notation  of  time  to  each  word,  "yes. 
terday,  to  day,  and  for  ever,"  the  apostle  designing,  by 
a  kind  of  proverbial  speech,  wherein  respect  is  had  to 
all  seasons,  to  denote  the  eiernity  and  immutability  of 
Christ  in  them  all.  To  the  same  purpose  he  is  said  to 
be  (o  wv,  vitti  0  v;v,  viui  o  ep%o[L£voQ^  Rev.  i,  4,)  ''He  who  is, 
who  was,  and  who  is  to  come.''* 

This  then  is  the  use  of  these  words:  "Jesus  Christ, 
in  every  condition  of  believers,  is  the  same  to  them; 
being  always  the  same  in  his  divine  Person,  to  the 
consummation  of  all  things.  He  is;  he  ever  was,  all 
and  in  all  unto  the  church;  the  author,  object,  and  fin- 
isher of  faith;  the  preserver  and  rewarder  of  them  that 
believe  in  all  generations." 

§3.  Our  last  inquiry  is  concerning  the  connexion 
and  use  of  these  words,  with  reference  to  the  other 
parts  of  the  discourse.  In  the  preceding  verse  (for  we 
have  no  reason  to  look  higher  in  this  series  of  duties 
independent  one  of  the  other)  the  Hebrews  are  enjoin- 
ed to  persevere  in  imitating  the  faith  of  their  first 
apostolical  teachers.  Now  whereas  they  had  by  their 
faith  a  victorious  end  of  their  whole  conversation,  they 
might  consider,  that  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  always  the 
same  in  himself,  would  likewise  be  the  same  to  them, 
to  give  them  the  like  blessed  end  of  their  faith  and 
obedience.  As  he  was  when  they  believed  in  him,  so 
he  is  now.  And  here  a  rule  is  fixed  for  the  trial  of 
doctrines,  viz.  the  acknowledgment  of  Christ  in  his 
person  and  office;  which  in  the  like  case  is  given  us  by 
the  apostle  John,  1  Epist.  iv,  2, 3.  Let  this  foundar 
tion  be  laid;  whatever  agrees  with  it  is  true  and  genu- 
ine, what  doth  not  agree  with  it  is  various!  and  strange 


43e  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  18: 

doctrine.  And  as  to  the  other  part  of  the  exhortation; 
to  what  end,  saith  the  apostle,  should  men  trouble 
themselves  with  the  distinction  of  meats,  and  the  like 
Mosaical  observances;  whereas  in  the  time  they  were 
enjoined,  they  were  in  themselves  of  no  advantage; 
for  it  was  Christ  alone,  that  even  then  was  all  to  the 
church,  as  to  its  acceptance  with  God.  And  so  I 
hope  we  have  restored  these  words  to  their  genuine 
sense  and  use. 

§4.    Hence  observe; 

1.  The  due  consideration  of  Jesus  Christ,  especially 
in  his  eternity,  immutability,  and  indeficiency,  or  as  he 
is  always  the  same,  is  the  great  encouragement  of  be- 
lievers in  their  whole  profession,  and  all  difficulties. 

2.  As  no  changes  formerly  made  in  the  institutions 
of  divine  worship,  altered  any  thing  in  the  faith  of  the 
church,  with  respect  to  Christ;  for  he  was,  and  is  still 
the  same;  so  no  vicissitudes  we  may  meet  with  in  our 
profession,  by  oppression  or  persecution,  ought  in  the 
least  to  shake  us;  for  Christ  is  still  the  same  to  protect, 
relieve,  and  deliver  us. 

3.  He  that  can  in  the  way  of  his  duty,  on  all  occa- 
sions, retreat  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  due  consideration 
of  his  person  in  the  discharge  of  his  office,  will  not  fail 
of  relief,  support,  and  consolation. 

4.  A  steadfast  cleaving  to  the  truth,  concerning  the 
person  and  office  of  Christ,  will  preserve  us  from  bark- 
ening to  various  and  strange  doctrines  perverting  our 
souls. 

5.  Jesus  Christ,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
was  the  object  of  the  church's  faith.     And, 

6.  It  is  the  immutability  and  eternity  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  his  divine  person,  that  render  him  a  meet  object  of 
faith  to  the  church,  in  the  discharge  of  his  office. 


Ver.  9.  EPISTLE   TO  THE  HEBREWS.  431 


VERSE  0. 

Be  not  carried  about  with  divers  and  strange  doctrines;  for  it  is 
a  good  thing  that  the  heart  be  established  with  grace,  not  with 
meats,  which  have  not  firojited  them  that  have  been  occupied 
therein. 

§1.  The  apostle's  design  explained  in  several  expository  remarks,  -wliich  contaia 
an  analysis  of  his  discourse.  §-'.  Exposition.  Various  and  strange  doctrines, 
what.  $3  The  exhortation  not  to  be  carried  about  with  them.  i^4  The  end 
to  be  aimed  at  in  professing  religion  is,  to  be  established.  J5,  Which  is  no^ 
to  be  done  by  the  Jewish  altar  and  ceremonies,  but  by  gi-ace.  §6,  The  un- 
profitableness of  the  former.     §7.  Observations. 

§1.  The  ensuing  context  from  hence  to  the  17th 
verse  seems  abstruse,  and  the  reasoning  not  easy  to  be 
apprehended;  but  expositors  generally  overlook  it,  and 
attend  only  to  the  exposition  of  the  parts.  To  find 
out  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  whole,  we 
must  consider  the  design  of  the  apostle  in  it,  and  how 
he  adduces  one  thing  /rom  another. 

1.  There  was  at  this  time  not  only  an  obstinate  ad- 
herence to  Mosaical  ceremonies  amongst  many  of  the 
Jews,  who  yet  professed  the  gospel;  but  also  an  en- 
deavor to  reinforce  their  necessity y  and  to  impose  their 
observance  upon  others. 

2.  He  adds  a  reason  of  this  delioHation  and  warn- 
ing, by  pointing  out  the  inconsistency  of  these  Mosaic 
ceremonies  with  the  gospel,  with  the  very  nature  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  that  great  principle  of  it,  ^^ 
that  "Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and 
for  ever."    To  this  end  he  supposeth, 

1 .  That  the  spring  of  all  their  observances  about 
meats,  eating  or  not  eating,  and  consequently  of  the 
other  rites  of  the  same  nature,  was  from  the  altar;  for 
with  respect  to  this  was  the  determination  of  things 
clean  and  unclean;  what  might  be  oft'ered  on  the  altav 
was  clean,  and  what  might  not,  was  nnclean.^ 


fr#fc  ♦^ 


43^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  Iv- 

2.  That  the  foundation  of  religion  lies  in  an  altar; 
but  that  ours  is  not  of  such  a  nature  as  that  from  thence 
any  distinction  of  meats  should  ensue. 

3.  That  whatever  be  the  benefits  of  our  altar,  the 
way  of  their  participation  is  not  the  administration  of 
the  old  tabernacle  services;  nor  could  they  who  ad- 
ministered therein  claim  a  right  to  them  by  any  divine 
institution.  Nay,  if  they  rested  in  that  administration, 
they  were  excluded  from  them. 

4.  He  adds  the  reason  of  this  excluding  maxim 
taken  from  the  nature  of  our  altar  and  sacrifice;  for 
it  is  a  sacrifice  of  expiation  to  sanctify  the  people  by 
blood;  and  even  in  the  very  typeofit;  the  blood  of  the 
victims  being  carried  into  the  holy  place,  their  bodies 
were  burned  entirely  without  the  camp;  so  that  the 
priests  themselves  had  no  right  to  eat  any  thing  of 
them, 

5.  In  answer  thereto  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
himself  both  our  altar,  sacrifice,  and  priest,  carried 
his  own  blood,  in  its  atoning  efficacy,  into  the  holy 
place  of  heaven,  having  suffered  in  his  body  without 
the  gate,  where  the  sacrifices  were  burned.  So  that 
there  is  no  place  now  left  for  eating,  or  distinction  of 
meats.     Yea, 

6.  Hereby  a  neta  state  of  religion,  answerable  to 
the  nature  of  the  altar  and  sacrifice,  is  introduced;  with 
which  the  tabernacle  observances,  which  depended  on 
the  nature  and  the  use  of  the  altar,  were  utterly  incon- 
sistent. Wherefore,  whoever  adhered  to  them,  did 
thereby  renounce  this  altar  of  ours  and  consequently 
the  religion  founded  thereon;  for  none  can  have  an  in- 
terest in  two  altars,  at  the  same  time,  of  such  different 
natures,  and  which  draw  after  them  such  different  re  • 
ligious  obse;iTances. 


Ver.  9.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  433 

7.  He  adds,  in  the  last  place,  what  we  are  to  learn 
from  the  nature  and  use  of  our  altar  and  sacrifice,  in 
opposition  to  the  meats  which  belonged  to  the  old  typ- 
ical altar;  and  herein  he  instanceth  in  patient  bearing 
of  the  cross  or  suffering  for  Christ,  ver.  13.  Self- 
denialj  as  to  temporal  enjoyments,  ver.  14;  continual 
divine  'worships  which  is  a  spiritual  sacrifice  made  ac- 
ceptable in  Christ,  our  altar,  priest,  and  sacrifice,  ver. 
15;  and  ^\\  good  works  of  piety  and  charity  towards 
men.  These  are  the  only  sacrifices  we  are  now  called 
to  offer.  I  hope  we  have  not  missed  the  apostle's  de- 
sign and  reasoning  in  this  analysis  of  his  discourse, 
which  makes  his  sublime  way  of  arguing  this  great 
mystery  plain  and  evident;  and  gives  us  a  safe  rule  for 
the  interpretation  of  every  particular  part  of  it. 

§2.  "Be  not  carried  away  with  divers  and  strange 
doctrines. 

It  i§* evident  that  the  doctrines  intended  were  such 
as  did  then  infest  the  churches,  the  Hebrew  churches; 
which  is  manifest  in  the  special  instance  given  about 
meats.  And  they  are  called  "various,^''  because  they 
were  not  reducible  to  that  one  faith,  which  was  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  and  which  was  quite  of  anoth- 
er kind;  because  they  had  no  consistency  or  agreement 
among  themselves;  and  especially  they  were  various 
from  their  object,  seeing  they  were  about  various 
things.  Or  he  calls  them  "various,"  because  they  took 
the  mind  from  its  proper  stability,  tossing  it  up  and 
down  at  all  uncertainties.  When  once  men  begin  to 
give  ear  to  such  doctrines,  they  lose  all  the  rest  and 
composure  of  their  minds,  as  we  see  by  daily  expe- 
rience. 

■  And  they  are  "strange,"'^  as  being  concerning  things 
foreign  to  the  gospel,  uncompliant,  with  the  nature  and 
genius  of  it.     Such  are  all  doctrines  about  religious 


434  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1^. 

ceremonies,  and  the  over  scrupulous  observance  of 
them;  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  "-meat  and  drink," 
but  righteousness  and  peace,  and  joy,  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Rom.  xiv,  17. 

§3.  With  respect  to  those  doctrines  the  charges  are, 
*'Be  not  carried  about"  with  them,  see  Ephes.  iv,  14. 
There  is  an  allusion  to  ships,  and  the  impression  of  the 
mind  upon  them.  In  themselves  they  are  light,  and 
are  easily  carried  about  of  winds;  and  the  false  doc- 
trines may  be  compared  to  winds,  because  those  who 
would  impose  them  on  others,  commonly  do  it  with 
a  great  and  vehement  blustering.  You  must  be  cir- 
cumcised, or  you  cannot  be  saved,  as  Acts  xv,  1;  unless 
you  believe  and  practise  these  things,  you  are  heretics 
and  schismatics,  &c.  and  the  effects  of  them  on  the 
minds  of  some  are  those  of  contrary  winds  at  sea;  they 
toss  them  up  and  down;  they  run  them  out  of  their 
course;  and  threaten  their  destruction.  First,  they  fill 
the  minds  of  men  with  uncertainties,  as  to  what  they 
have  believed;  and  then  for  the  most  part  they  alter 
the  whole  course  of  their  profession;  and  lastly,  they 
bring  them  to  be  in  danger  of  eternal  ruin.  In  proof 
of  these  things,  witness  the  Galatian  churches. 

§4.  The  end  to  be  aimed  at,  in  the  profession  of  re- 
ligion is,  ''that  the  heart  be  {^e^cuHa^ca)  established;  so 
confirmed  in  faith,  as  to  have  a  fixed  persuotsion  of 
the  truth;  or  a  just  firm  settlement  of  mind  in  the  as- 
surance of  it,  as  opposed  to  being  tossed  to  and  fro; 
Uiat  through  the  truth,  the  heart  enjoy  peace  with  God, 
which  alone  will  establish  it;  giving  it  firmitude  and 
rest  in  every  condition,  being  stayed  on  God. 

§5.  (Xap<1/)  by  grace.  '-'Grace'''  here  is  to  be  taken 
comprehensively,  for  the  good  will  and  love  of  God 
towards  men,  by  Jesus  Christ,  as  revealed  in  the  gos- 
pel.    This  is  that  alone  which  doth,  which  can  estab- 


Ver.  9.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  435 

lish  the  heart  of  a  sinner  in  peace  with  a  holy  and  just 
God,  Rom.  V,  1. 

''Not  with  meats."  Not  that  the  heart  may  be  es- 
tablished by  meats  also,  but  that  grace  is  the  only  way 
thereof,  though  some  foolishly  pretended,  that  it  might 
be  done  by  eating,  or  by  abstinence  from  eating,  of 
meats,  by  virtue  of  divine  prohibition,  "touch  not, 
taste  not,  handle  not,"  Col.  ii,  21;  which  distinction  of 
meats  arose  from  the  a{tm%  for  the  beast  that  might  be 
offered  at  the  altar  in  sacrifice  being  clean,  and  the 
first  fruits  being  thus  dedicated  unto  God,  the  whole 
of  the  kind  became  clean  to  the  people;  and  what  had 
not  the  privilege  of  the  altar,  was  prohibited. 

And  hence  we  may  see  the  reason  why  the  Jews 
laid  so  great  a  stress  on  these  meats,  viz.  because  the 
taking  of  them  away  declared,  that  their  altar,  which 
was  the  life  and  centre  of  their  religion,  was  of  no 
more  use.  And  hence  we  may  also  see  the  reason  of 
the  apostle's  different  treating  with  them  in  this  mat- 
ter; for,  speaking  of  meats  in  their  own  nature,  he  de- 
clares, that  the  use  of  them  is  a  thing  indifferent, 
wherein  every  one  is  to  be  left  to  his  own  liberty,  to 
be  regulated  only  by  the  circumstance  of  giving  of- 
fence or  scandal,  see  Rom.  xiv;  but  when  he  treats 
of  them  as  a  pretended  necessary  observance,  as  con- 
nected with  the  altar,  he  utterly  condemns  them,  GaJ« 
iv;  Col.  ii,  16—23. 

"For  it  is  {y.uKov)  a  good  thing;"  it  is  excellent,  ap- 
proved of  God,  and  our  incumbent  duty  to  labor  after. 
And  in  this  positive  comparative  is  included,  it  is  good 
and  excellent  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  be  far  better  than 
what  they  pretended. 

§6.  ''Which  have  not  yn^ofited  them  that  have  been 
occupied  therein,"  [svoig  %epi7ral-/,(Tu^Ug)  them  who  have 
walked  in  them.     To  walk  in  meatS;  is  to  observe  the 

VOL.   IV.  5.3 


430  fiXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  iS' 

doctrines  concerning  them;  "touch  not,  taste  not^  han- 
dle not."  And  he  speaketh  of  the  time  past,  as  well  as 
of  the  time  then  present;  foe  of  themselves  they  never 
profited  those  that  observed  them.  They  were  a  part 
of  the  «/oA;e  that  was  imposed  on  them,  until  the  time 
of  reformation,  chap,  iv,  10;  and  so  far  as  any  trusted 
to  them,  as  a  means  of  acceptance  with  God,  they 
were  pernicious  to  them;  which  the  apostle  intimates  by 
a  common  figure,  when  he  says,  that  "they  did  not 
profit"  them;  that  is,  they  tended  to  their  hurt;  and 
much  more  after  their  obligation  ceased. 

§7.  And  there  are  many  weighty  directions  intima- 
ted and  included  in  these  words,  fpr  the  use  of  the 
church  in  all  seasons;  as, 

1.  That  there  is  a  revelation  of  truth  given  to  the 
church  in  the  word  of  God,  which  is  the  only  doc- 
tiinal  foundation  and  rule  of  faith. 

2.  That  this  doctrine  is  every  way  suited  to  pro- 
mote divine  grace  in  believers,  and  the  attainment  of 
their  own  salvation. 

3.  That  doctrines  unsuited  to  this  first  revelation  by 
Christ  and  his  apostles  soon  sprung  up  to  the  trouble 
of  the  church,  and  they  have  continued  to  do  so  in  all 
ensuing  ages. 

4.  Where  such  doctrines  are  entertained  they  make 
men  double  minded,  unstable,  turning  them  from  the 
truth,  and  drawing  them  at  length  into  perdition. 

5.  The  ruin  of  the  church  in  after  ages  arose  from 
the  neglect  of  this  apostolical  caution,  in  giving  way  to 
various  and  strange  doctrines. 

6.  Herein  lies  the  safety  of  all  believers  and  all 
churches;  namely,  to  keep  themselves  precisely  to  the 
first  complete  revelation  of  divine  truth  in  the  word  of 
God,  let  men  pretend  what  they  will,  and  bluster 
while  they  please;  in  an  adherence  to  this  principle  we 


Ver.  10.  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  437 

are  safe;  and  if  we  depart  from  it,  we  shall  be  hurried 
and  carried  about  through  innumerable  uncertainties 
into  rum. 

7.  And  we  see,  that  those  who  consider  any  thing 
but  grace,  as  the  only  means  to  establish  their  hearts 
in  peace  with  God,  shall  in  vain  exercise  themselves 
in  other  things  and  ways  to  that  end. 


VERSE  10. 

We  have  an  altar-f  lohereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat  tvhich  serve 
the  tabernacle. 

§1.  The  direct  design  of  the  words.  §2.  Our  altar,  what.  §3.  On  what  ground, 
and  in  what  respect,  they  who  serve  the  tabernacle  have  no  right  to  partake  cf 
our  altar.    §i.  Observations. 

§1.  1  HE  design  of  the  context,  and  coherence  of 
the  words,  have  in  general  been  spoken  to  before; 
having  asserted  the  only  way  of  the  establishment  of 
the  heart  in  peace  with  God,  and  the  uselessness  of 
all  distinction  of  meats  to  that  purpose,  he  here  declar- 
eth  the  foundation  of  the  truth;  for  whereas  the  sole 
ground  of  all  distinction  of  meats,  and  other  ceremo- 
nies among  the  Jews,  was  the  altar  in  the  tabernacle, 
with  its  nature,  use,  and  services,  he  lets  them  know 
that  "we  have  an  altar"  and  services  quite  of  another 
kind  than  those  which  arose  from  the  altar  of  old, 
such  as  he  describes,  ver.  13 — 15;  this  is  the  direct 
design  of  the  apostle  in  this  place,  and  the  proper 
analysis  of  his  words. 

§2.  The  altar  which  we  now  have,  is  Christ  alone, 
for  he  was  both  priest,  altar,  and  sacrifice  to  the  church, 
as  to  all  the  use  and  efficacy  of  them,  which  is  evident 
in  the  context;  for  this  altar  is,  in  its  nature,  use,  and 
efficacy,  opposed  to  the  altar  in  the  tabernacle;  and 
indeed  the  apostle  expressly  declares  that  Jesus  sancti- 
fied the  people  with  his  own  blood,  which  was  to  be 


43S  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

done  at  or  on  the  altar;  and  "by  him,"  as  owr  altar, 
we  are  to  offer  our  sacrifices  unto  God,  ver.  15,  "the 
fruit  of  our  lips,  confessing  unto  his  name;"  which 
leads  us  off  from  all  thoughts  of  any  material  altar. 
Estius,  one  of  the  soberest  expositors  of  the  Roman 
church,  concludes,  that  it  is  Christ,  and  his  sacrifice 
alone,  is  intended  in  this  place. 

§3.  "Whereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat  {oi  harpev- 
ovreg)  uiJio  serve  the  tabernaiile;"  he  speaks  in  the 
present  tense,  those  who  do  serve,  or  who  are  serving 
at  the  tabernacle;  for  he  hath  respect  to  the  original 
institution  of  divine  v^^orship,  which  was  in  the  taber' 
nacle;  and  he  takes  no  notice  of  the  things  that  ensued 
on  the  erection  of  the  temple,  because  it  made  no  alter- 
ations in  the  worship  itself,  and  he  supposeth  them  to 
be  in  the  state  wherein  they  were  appointed;  "icj/io 
serve f^  namely,  the  priests  and  Levites  in  their  several 
orders  and  degrees,  who  had  a  right  to  eat  of  the  altar, 
or  the  things  that  were  consecrated  thereby,  and  a  part 
of  which  was  offered  thereon.  "They  who  wait  at  the 
altar,  are  partakers  with  the  altar,"  1  Cor.  ix,  13;  x,  18; 
nor  was  it  lawful  for  amj  others  to  eat  any  thing  from 
the  altar,  unless  in  the  case  of  the  thank-offering  by 
special  indulgence,  or  in  extreme  necessity. 

"Whereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat;"  (e^  «,  i.  e. 
ftujT/flic-ivipia)  of'is)hich  altar,  and  all  the  things  which  are 
sanctified  thereby;  to  eat;  what  was  every  one's  por- 
tion was  to  be  eaten,  hence  the  apostle  useth  the  word 
{(puytiv)  to  cat  here  for  any  kind  oi  participation;  they 
have  no  (e£8o-;c:v)  right;  or  title,  by  virtue  of  any  divine 
institution;  he  doth  not  absolutely  exclude  such  persons 
from  ever  attaining  an  interest  in  our  altar;  no,  far 
from  it;  but  he  doth  it  in  two  respects; — they  had  no 
such  right  by  virtue  of  their  office  and  relation  to  the 
tf^bernacle;  and — whilst  they  adhered  to  the  use  of 


Vbr.  10,  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  439 

their  own  tabernacle,  altar,  &c.  for  the  establishment 
of  their  hearts  with  God,  they  would  have  no  interest 
in  this  altar  of  ours. 

§4.    From  hence  we  may  learn; 

1.  That  the  Lord  Christ,  in  the  one  sacrifice  of 
himself,  is  the  altar  of  the  new  testament  church. 

2.  That  this  altar  is  every  way  sufficient  of  itself 
for  the  grand  end  of  an  altar  in  general;  namely,  the 
sanctification  of  the  people,  ver.  12. 

3.  The  erection  of  any  other  altar  in  the  church, 
or  the  introduction  of  any  other  sacrifice  requiring  a 
material  altar,  is  derogatory  to  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  excludes  him  from  being  our  altar. 

4.  Whereas  the  design  of  the  apostle  in  the  whole 
of  this  discourse,  is,  to  declare  the  glory  of  the  gospel, 
and  its  worship,  above  that  of  the  law;  of  our  priest 
and  altar  above  theirs,  it  is  fond  to  think,  that  by  ''our 
altar''''  he  intends  such  a  material  fabric  as  is  every 
way  inferior  to  that  of  old. 

5.  When  God  appointed  a  material  altar  for  his 
service,  he  himself  enjoined  the  making  of  it,  prescribed 
its  forni  and  use,  with  all  its  utensils,  services,  and 
ceremonies,  allowing  of  nothing  relating  to  it  but  what 
was  by  himself  appointed;  it  is  not  tlierefore  probable, 
that,  under  the  New  Testament,  there  should  be  a 
material  altar  of  equal  necessity,  without  a  divine  ap- 
pointment.    J3ut, 

6.  Sinners,  under  a  sense  of  guilt,  have  in  the  gospel 
an  altar  of  atonement  to  which  they  may  have  con- 
tinual access  for  the  expiation  of  their  sins;  "he  is  the 
propitiation." 

7.  That  all  privileges,  of  whatever  nature,  without 
a  participation  of  Christ,  as  the  altar  and  sacrifice  of 
the  church,  are  of  no  advantage  to  their  possessors. 


M&  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap,  i: 


VERSES  11,  12. 

JFor  the  bodies  of'  those  beasts  whose  blood  is  brought  into  the 
sanctuary  by  the  High  Priest  for  sin,  are  burned  without  the 
cam/i;  nvherefore  Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the  peofilc 
hvith  his  own  blood,  suffered  without  the  gate. 

§i.  The  apostle's  threefold  design.  §2  Exposition.  The  typical  sin  offering.- 
§3  The  burning  of  the  bodies  without  the  camp.  §4.  The  inference,  where- 
fore Jesus,  ^5  Expository  remarks.  §6.  Without  the  ^ate,  what  implied  in 
it.    §7   Observations. 

§1.  1.  HE  apostle  in  these  words,  proceeds  to  the  eon- 
finiiation  of  his  whole  present  design  in  all  the  parts  of 
it,  which  ai  e  three; 

1.  To  declare  of  what  nature  our  altar  and  sacri- 
fice are,  and  thereon  of  what  nature  and  kind  the 
duties  of  religion  are  which  depend  upon  them. 

2.  To  testify  that  the  removal  of  all  distinction  of 
meats,  by  viriue  of  this  altar,  was  signified  in  the  old 
institutions  which  had  their  accomplishment  in  this 
altar  and  sacrifice. 

3.  To  shew  the  necessity  of  the  suffering  of  Christ 
without  the  gate  of  the  city,  from  the  typical  repre- 
sentation of  it;  and  so  to  make  way  for  treating  of 
the  use  we  are  to  make  of  it. 

§2.  "For  the  bodies  of  those  beasts,"  &c.  {Uspt  uixup- 
nag)  for  sin;  referring  to  the  sin  offering  on  the  great 
day  of  atonement;  see  on  chap,  x,  6;  the  blood  of 
that  sacrifice  alone  was  carried  into  the  most  holy 
place  by  the  High  Priest;  and  there  was  an  especial 
institution  for  burning  the  bodies  of  the  beasts  whose 
blood  was  then  offered  without  the  camp,  Lev.  xvi,  27. 

p.  The  burning  of  the  bodies  was  ordered  to  be 
without  the  camp;  namely,  whilst  the  Israelites  were 
in  the  wilderness,  encamped  round  about  the  taberna- 
cle. To  this  camp  the  city  of  Jerusalem  afterwards 
answered;  wherefore,  when  this  sacrifice  was  observed 


Ver.  11,  12.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS-  441 

in  the  temple,  the  "bodies  of  the  beasts"  were  carried 
out  of  the  city  to  be  burned;  hence  the  apostle  makes 
the  suffering  of  Christ  without  the  gate,  to  answer  the 
burning  of  those  bodies  without  the  camp;  the  city  and 
tlie  camp  being  in  institution  the  same  thing.  In  this 
sacrifice  there  was  no  eating;  all  was  consumed;  hence, 
the  apostle  proves  that  mert/6^  did  never  contribute  any 
thing  towards  the  establishment  of  the  heart  before 
God,  for  there  was  no  use  of  them  in  the  sacrifice 
whereby  the  atonement  for  sin  was  made;  whereon 
the  establishment  of  the  heart  dependeth;  yea,  there 
was  a  clear  prefiguration,  that  when  the  great  atone- 
ment was  made,  there  should  be  no  use  of  the  distinc- 
tion of  meats  left  in  the  church. 

§4.  ''Wherefore  Jesus  also;'^  being  to  fulfil  all 
righteousness,  and  the  whole  law,  what  he  did  was 
regulated  by  the  predictions  of  scripture,  and  the  typ- 
ical representations  of  what  was  to  be  done;  the  ex- 
pression intimates  a  similitude,  such  as  is  between  the 
type  and  the  thing  typified;  as  was  that  sacrifice,  or 
sin  offering,  under  the  law,  so  was  this  of  Christ — 
*' Wherefore  Jesus  also.'''' 

§5.  There  are  sundry  truths  of  great  importance  in 
these  words,  the  consideration  whereof  will  give  us 
the  just  exposition  of  them. 

1.  That  Jesus  in  his  sufferings  offered  himself  to 
God;  this  is  plain  in  the  words;  ''that  he  might  sancti- 
fy the  people  with  his  blood  (fxaQf)  he  suff\red\'''  for 
in  that  suffering,  his  blood  was  shed  whereby  the  peo- 
ple were  sanctified;  which  utterly  overthrows  the 
SOCINIAN  figment  of  his  oblation  in  heaven. 

2.  That  in  his  sufferings  he  offered  himself  a  sin  of- 
fering; in  answer  to  those  legal  sacrifices,  whose  blood 

was  carried  into  the  holy  place,  and  whose  bodies  were 


44^  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  iS. 

burned  without  the  camp;  and  this  belonged   to  sin- 
offerings  only. 

3.  The  end  of  this  offering  was,  that  he  might  sanc- 
tify the  people;  this  was  {Jinis  operis  ^^  operantis) 
the  end  of  what  was  done,  and  of  him  who  did  it; 
(ivci)  that,  hath  respect  to  the  ^naZ  cause;  and  the  ob- 
ject of  the  work  wrought  is  the  people;  that  is,  all  the 
elect  peopleof  God.  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  IJohn  ii,  2. 

4.  That  which  he  designed  and  accomplished  for 
this  people,  was  their  sanctification;  and  it  is  here  man- 
ifest, by  the  respect  his  blood  had  to  the  great  sacrifice 
of  expiation,  that  it  signifies  to  have  atonement  made. 

5.  This  is  what  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  designed  for 
his  church,  and  he  did  it  by  his  own  blood.  Acts  xx, 
28;  Rev.  i,  5;  an  evidence  of  the  unspeakable  worth 
and  value  of  this  offering,  and  whereon  all  its  efficacy 
doth  depend.  What  a  testimony  is  here  of  what  it 
cost  the  Lord  Jesus  to  sanctify  the  people;  even  with 
his  own  blood! 

§6,  "Suffered  without  the  gate;"  intimating  that 
he  left  the  city  and  church  state  of  the  Jews,  put 
an  end  to  all  acceptable  sacrificing  in  the  city  and  tem- 
ple; that  his  sacrifice  and  its  benefits  were  not  included 
in  the  church  of  the  Jews,  but  were  finally  extended 
to  the  vvhole  world,  1  John  ii,  2;  that  his  death  and 
suffering  were  not  only  a  sacrifice,  but  a  punishment 
for  sin,  the  sins  of  the  people  that  were  to  be  sanctified 
by  his  blood;  for  he  went  out  of  the  city  as  a  malefac- 
tor, and  died  the  death  which  by  divine  institution  was 
a  sign  of  thecwse,  Gal.  iii,  13. 

By  all  these  things  it  appears,  how  different  our  altar 
and  sacrifice  are  from  theirs  under  the  law;  and  how 
necessary  it  is  from  thence  that  we  should  have  a  wor- 
ship of  another  nature  than  what  they  had,  wherein 
particular  the  distinction  of  meats  should  be  of  no  use>' 

§7,  And  we  may  hence  observe; 


Ver.  13,14.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  443 

1.  The  complete  answering  and  fulfilling  of  all 
types  in  the  person  and  office  of  Christ,  testifieth  the 
sameness  and  immutability  of  the  council  of  God  in 
the  whole  work  of  redemption,  notwithstanding  all  the 
outward  changes  that  have  been  in  the  institutions  of 
divine  worship;  from  hence  it  is  manifest,  that,  in  the 
whole,  Jesus  Christ  is  '7/ie  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and 
for  ever." 

2.  The  church  could  no  otherwise  be  sanctified, 
but  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  see  on 
chap.  X,  4 — 7. 

3.  The  Lord  Jesus  out  of  his  incomprehensible  love 
to  his  people,  would  spare  nothing  that  was  needful  for 
their  sanctification,  their  reconciliation,  and  dedication 
unto  God;  for  he  did  it  with  his  own  blood. 

4.  The  whole  church  is  perfectly  sanctijied  by  the 
offering  of  the  blood  of  Christ  as  to  impeiration; 
and  it  shall  be  so  actually  by  the  virtue  of  the  samq 
blood  in  its  application. 

5.  When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  carried  all  the  sins 
of  his  own  people  in  his  body  on  the  tree,  he  left  the 
city  as  a  type  of  all  unbelievers  under  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  God. 

6.  Going  out  of  the  city  as  a  malefactor,  he  bore 
all  the  reproaches  that  were  due  to  the  sins  of  the 
church,  which  was  a  part  of  the  curse. 


VERSES  13,  14. 
Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto  hini^  without  the  camp^  bearing  hit 
refiroach;  for  here  have  we  no  continuing   cittj,   but  we   see/; 
one  to  come. 

§1.  An  exhortation  to  go  forth  without  the  camp.    §2.  To  Christ,  to  bear  his 
reproach-     S3,  4.  The  reasons  to  enforce  it,    §5,  6,  Observations. 

^1.  From  the  account  given  of  our  altar  in  the  suf- 
fering and  offering  of  Christ,  the  apostle  draws  an  e.T« 
hortation  to  a  general  duty. 
VOL.  \y.  56 


444  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

"Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto  him   (f^w  rviQ  vuiisii- 
^oMs)  without  the  camp.^^    He  refers,  as  before  hinted, 
to  the  original  institution  in  the  wilderness;  therefore 
he  confines  his  discourse  to  the  tabernacle,  without  any 
mention  of  the  temple,  or  the  city  wherein  it  was  built, 
though  all  that  he  speaks  be  equally  applicable  to  them. 
Now  the  camp  in  the  wilderness  was  that  space  of 
ground  which  was  taken  up  by  the  tents,  as  they  were 
regularly   pitched  about  the  tabernacle;    out  of  this 
camp  the  bodies  of  the  beasts  for  the  sin  offerings  were 
carried  and  burned;  and  to  this  afterwards  answered 
the  city  of  Jerusalem;  now  the  camp  and  city  were 
the  seat  of  all  the  political  and  religious  converse  of 
the  Jewish  church;  and  to  be  in  the  camp,  is  to  have  a 
right  to  all  the  privileges  and  advantages  of  all  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  the  whole  service  of  the 
tabernacle;  but  here  it  may  be  asked,  how  were   the 
Hebrews  on  account  of  this  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  the 
sanctification  of  the  people  by  his  own  blood,  to  go 
out  of  this  camp^  It  is  not  a  local  departure  out  of 
the  city  that  is  primarily  intended,  though  I  am  apt  to 
think,  from  the  next  verse,  that  the  apostle  had  some 
respect  also  thereunto;  but  what  is  principally  intended, 
is  a  moral  and  religious  going  forth;  there  was  nothing 
that  these  Hebrews  more  valued,  and  more  tenacious- 
ly adhered  to,  than  their  political  and  religious  inter- 
est  in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel;    they   could   not 
understand  upon  what  principle  they  must  forsake  all 
the  glorious  privileges  granted  of  old  to  that  church 
and  people;  this  therefore  the  apostle  clearly  shews 
them  by  the  suffering  of  Christ  without  the  camp. 

§2.  They  were  thus  to  ''go  forth  unto  himf  he  went 
forth  at  the  gate,  and  suffered;  a,nd  we  must  go  forth 
after  him.    And  it  denotes, 


Vbr.  13,  14.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         443 

1.  A  relinquishment  of  all  the  privileges  of  the  camp 
and  city  for  his  sake;  leave  them,  and  go  to  him. 

2.  A  closing  by  faith  with  his  sacrifice  and  sanctifi- 
cation  thereby,  in  opposition  to  all  the  sacrifices  of  the 
law. 

3.  The  owning  of  him  under  all  that  reproach  and 
contempt  which  was  cast  upon  him  in  his  suffering 
without  the  gate;  or  a  not  being  ashamed  of  the  cross. 

4.  The  betaking  ourselves  to  him  in  his  office,  as  the 
king,  piiest,  and  prophet  of  the  church,  for  our  accep- 
tance with  God,  and  in  his  worship,  ver.  15. 

"Bearing  his  reproach;"  either  the  reproach  that  was 
cast  on  his  person,  or  the  reproach  that  is  cast  on  ours 
for  his  sake,  see  on  chap,  x,  33;  this  we  bear  when  we 
patiently  undergo  it,  and  are  not  shaken  in  our  minds, 
in  what  we  suffer  by  it.  The  sum  of  all  is,  that  we 
must  leave  all  to  go  forth  to  a  crucified  Christ.  An 
enforcement  of  this  exhortation,  or  an  encouragement 
to  this  duty,  the  apostle  adds  in  the  next  words. 

§3.  "For  here  have  we  no  continuing  city,  but  we 
seek  one  to  come,"  see  on  chap,  xi,  10 — 16. 

Their  interest  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  was  gone, 
after  the  Lord  Jesus  went  without  the  gate  to  suffen 
Now  it  is  not  said  of  believers  absolutely,  that  they 
belonged  to  no  city,  but  that  they  have  no  continuing 
city.     But  it  is  spoken  on  other  accounts. 

1.  They  had  no  city  that  was  the  seat  of  divine  wor- 
ship, and  to  which  it  was  confined,  as  it  was  before 
with  respect  to  Jerusalem. 

2.  They  had  no  city  wherein  they  did  rest,  or  which, 
was  the  seat  of  their  [xoKilevtxci)  conversation;  Phil,  iii, 
20.  Not  such  a  city  as  contained  their  lot  and  por- 
tion. 

3.  They  had  not  in  this  world  an  abiding  city. 
Whatever  conveniences  they  might  have  for  a  season. 


446  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13, 

yet  they  had  no  city  that  was  to  abide  for  ever,  nor 
which  they  could  for  ever  abide  in. 

And  probably  herein  the  apostle  shews  the  differ- 
ence and  opposition  between  the  state  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  that  under  the  Old  I'estament;  for,  after 
they  had  wandered  in  the  wilderness  and  elsewhere, 
for  some  ages,  they  were  brought  to  rest  in  Jerusalem; 
but,  saith  he,  with  us  it  is  not  so;  '-but  we  seek  one  that 
is  to  come."  See  the  description  of  the  state  of  pilgri- 
mage here  intended,  in  the  Exposition  on  chap,  xi^ 
9—16. 

§4,  "But  (fT<?vi78|xev)  tve  seek  one  to  come,"  with 
desire  and  diligence;  not  as  a  thing  unknown,  but 
[tviv  ixsKsffuv)  that  city;  not  one  indefinitely,  but  that 
which  was  to  be  their  eternal  habitation;  to  come;  not 
merely  because  it  was  future  as  to  their  state  and  inter- 
est in  it,  but  with  respect  to  their  being  certain  of  en- 
joying it;  for  it  was  pr^epared  for  them,  and  promis- 
ed to  them. 

§5.  And  we  are  herein  taught, 

1.  That  all  privileges  and  advantages  whatever  are 
to  be  renounced,  which  are  inconsistent  with  an  in- 
terest in  Christ,  and  a  participation  of  him,  Phil,  iii, 
4—10. 

2.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  Hebrews  to  forsake  those 
ways  of  worship,  which  were  originally  of  divme  in- 
stitution, that  they  might  wholly  give  up  themselves  to 
Christ,  in  all  things  pertaining  to  God;  much  more  is 
it  ours  to  forego  all  such  pretences  to  religious  worship, 
as  are  of  human  invention.     And, 

3.  Whereas  the  camp  contained  not  only  ecclesiaS' 
tical,  but  also  political  privileges,  we  should  be  ready 
to  forego  all  civil  accommodations  also,  as  houses, 
lands,  possessions,  &c.  when  called  to  give  them  up  on 
the  account  of  Christ  and  the  gospel 


Vbr.  15— 17.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        447 

4.  If  we  will  go  forth  to  Christ,  as  without  the  camp, 
or  separated  from  the  sinful  concerns  of  this  world,  we 
shall  assuredly  meet  with  repi'oaches. 

§6.  1.  Believers  are  not  like  to  meet  with  any  such 
encouraging  entertainment  in  this  world,  as  to  make 
them  unready  or  unwilling  to  desert  it,  and  go  forth 
after  Christ,  bearing  his  reproach;  for  "we  have  here 
no  continuing  city." 

2.  This  world  never  did,  and  never  will,  give  a  state 
of  rest  and  satisfaction  to  believers.  It  will  not  af- 
ford them  a  city;  it  is  Jerusalem  above  that  is  the  vis- 
ion of  peace.     Arise  and  depart,  this  is  not  your  rest. 

3.  Though  destitute  of  a  present  satisfactory  rest, 
God  hath  not  left  believers  without  a  prospect  of  what 
shall  be  so  to  eternity.     We  have  not,  but  we  seek. 

4.  As  God  hath,  in  his  unparalleled  love  and  care, 
prepared  a  city  of  rest  for  us,  it  is  our  great  duty  con- 
tinually to  endeavor  the  attainment  of  it  in  the  ways 
of  his  appointment. 

5.  The  main  business  of  believers  in  this  world  is, 
diligently  to  seek  after  the  city  of  God,  or  the  attain- 
ment of  eternal  rest  with  him.  This  is  the  character 
whereby  they  may  be  known. 


VERSES  15—17. 
By  Iiim  therefore  let  us  offtr  the  sacrifice  offirahe  to  God  con-' 
tinually,  l/iat  in,  the  fruit  of  our  lifts,  gixiinf;  thanks  to  his  name. 
But  to  do  good  and  to  communicate,  furgtt  not;  for  nvith  such 
sacrifces  God  is  ivcll pleased.  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule 
over  you,  and  submit  yourselves;  for  they  ivatchfor  your  souls, 
as  they  that  vniat  give  account;  that  they  maij  do  it  with  joy, 
and  not  with  grief ;  for  that  is  un/iroftablefor  you. 

§1.  Transition  to  Christian  duties,  as  connected  witli  the  Christian  Ritar.  §2. 
Our  sacrifices  to  be  offered  by  (lirist.  3  Giving  thanks,  §4  Other  sacri- 
fices; to  do  good,  and  to  comniunicate  \5,  AVhich  aie  pleasing  to  God.  $C. 
Other  iluties.  ^7.  Obudience  to  oiu?  guides,  §8.  Who  watcli  lor  our  souls, 
§9.  And  are  accountable.  $19.  A  motiveolobedience  to  thera.  $11— f3.  Ob- 
sv^rvatiorfs. 


448  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 


§1.  Having  declared  of  what  nature  our  altar  iSj 
and  the  fundamental  points  of  our  religion  thence  aris- 
ing; our  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  profession  there- 
of in  a  readiness  for  the  cross,  and  conformity  to  him 
thereby;  the  apostle  proceeds  to  declare  the  nature  of 
our  altar  and  sacrifice,  \n  opposition  to  those  doctrines 
and  observances  about  meats,  and  other  things  of  a 
similar  nature,  which  depended  on  the  altar,  with  its 
institutions.  Having  an  altar,  we  must  have  sacrifices 
to  offer;  without  which  the  former  is  of  no  use. 

§2.  '-By  him  (5/  «u78)  therefore  let  us  offer."  All 
the  sacrifices  of  the  people  under  the  law  were  offered 
by  the  priests;  wherefore  respect  is  here  had  to  Christ 
in  the  discharge  of  his  priestly  office.  He  sanctifies 
and  dedicates  our  persons  unto  God,  that  we  may  be 
meet  to  offer  sacrifices  to  him;  he  hath  prepared  a  way 
for  our  access  with  boldness  into  the  holy  place,  where 
we  may  offer  these  sacrifices;  he  bears  the  iniquity  of 
our  holy  things,  and  makes  our  offerings  acceptable 
through  his  merits  and  intercession;  he  continues  in 
the  tabernacle  of  his  own  human  nature,  to  offer  up  to 
God  all  the  duties  and  services  ofthe  church. 

And  "by  hlm,''^  is  the  same  with  by  him  alone.  There 
is  a  profane  opinion  and  practice  in  the  Papal  church, 
about  offering  our  sacrifices  of  prayer  and  praise  to  God 
by  others;  as  by  saints  and  angels,  especially  by  the 
blessed  Virgin.  But  arc  they  our  alia?'?  Did  they 
sanctify  us  by  their  blood?  Are  they  the  high  priests 
of  our  church?  Have  tliey  made  us  priests  unto  God^ 
or  prepared  a  new  and  a  living  way  for  our  access  to 
the  throne  of  grace?  It  is  on  account  of  these  ti^viff^, 
that  we  are  said  to  offer  our  sacrifice  by  Christ,  and  , , 
is  the  highest  blasphemy  to  assign  them  to  any  other. 


Vek.  15— ir.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  449 

"Let  us  offer,^^  the  special  nature  of  it  is  an  offer- 
ing, a  sacrifice  of  praise;  praise  is  the  matter  of  the 
sacrifice.  By  the  law  no  hlood  could  be  offered  on 
the  altar,  unless  the  beast  were  immediately  slain  at 
the  altar  in  order  thereto,  and  there  answerably  is  a 
twofold  spiritual  sacrifice,  wherein  our  Christian  pro- 
fession eminently  consists.  The  first  is  that  of  a  broken 
spirit,  Psal.  li,  17;  repentance,  in  mortification  and  cru- 
cifying of  the  flesh,  answers  the  mactation,  or  killing 
of  the  beast  for  sacrifice,  which  was  the  death  and 
destruction  of  the  flesh.  The  other  is  the  sacri- 
fice of  praise,  which  answers  the  offering  of  the  blood 
on  the  altar,  with  the  fire  and  incense,  which  yieldeth 
a  sweet  savor  unto  God. 

This  we  are  enjoined  to  offer  {liu  ^uvIoq)  continually; 
without  being  confined  to  appointed  times  and  places^ 
Luke  xviii,  1;  1  Thes.  v,  17;  for  it  may  comprise  jjZaces 
as  well  as  times,  1  Cor.  i,  2;  and  also  including  dili- 
gence and  perseverance;  with  a  constant  readiness  of 
mind,  an  holy  disposition  and  inclination  of  heart  to 
it,  acted  in  all  proper  seasons  and  opportunities. 

§3.  [TsTefflt  vci^zov  %e/Afwv)  that  is,  the  fruit  of  our 
lips;  it  is  generally  granted  that  this  expression  is  taken 
fiom  Hos.  xiv,  2,  where  the  same  duty  is  called  (Qina 
^J^nsty)  the  calves  of  our  lips;  for  the  sense  is  the  same, 
and  praise  to  God  is  intended  in  both  places.  But  the 
design  of  the  apostle  in  alleging  this  place  is  peculiar; 
for  the  prophet  is  praying  in  the  name  of  the  church 
for  mercy,  grace,  and  deliverance;  and  thereon  he  de- 
clareth  what  is  the  duty  of  it  upon  an  answer  to  their 
prayers.  Now  whereas  this,  according  to  the  institu- 
tions of  the  law,  was  to  have  been  in  vows  and  thank 
oflferings  of  calves  and  other  beasts,  he  declares  that, 
instead  of  them  all,  vocal  thankfulness  in  celebrating 
the  praise  of  God,  should  succeed.    This  he  calls,  "the 


450  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Ghap.  13. 

calves  of  our  lips,"  because  that  the  use  of  our  lips  in 
praise  was  to  come  in  the  room  of  all  thank  offerings 
by  calves.  The  psalmist  speaks  to  the  same  purpose, 
Ps.  li,  16,  17. 

But  moreover,  the  mercy,  grace,  and  deliverance, 
which  the  prophet  treats  about,  were  those  that  were 
to  come  by  the  redemption  which  is  in  Jesus  Christ. 
After  that  there  was  to  be  no  more  sacrifice  of  calves, 
but  spiritual  sacrifices  of  praise  only,  which  he  there- 
fore calls  the  "calves  of  our  lips."  The  apostle  there- 
fore doth  not  only  cile  his  words,  but  respects  the  de- 
sign of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them,  which  was — to  de- 
clare the  cessation  of  all  carnal  sacrifices,  upon  the 
deliverance  of  the  church  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ. 
And  he  changeth  the  words  from  *'calves"  to  "fruit," 
to  declare  the  sense  of  the  metaphor  in  the  prophet. 
And  because  there  may  be  some  ambiguity  in  that 
expression,  "the  fruit  of  our  lips,"  which  in  general  is 
the  product  and  effect  of  them,  he  adds  a  declaration 
of  its  nature — giving  thanks,  or  confessing,  "to  his 
name;"  to  profess  and  acknowledge  his  glorious  excel- 
lencies and  works. 

|4.  Because  he  persisteth  in  his  design  of  declaring 
the  nature  of  gospel  worship  and  obedience,  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  institutions  of  the  law;  he  calls  these  duties 
also  sacrifices,  upon  the  account  of  their  being  accept- 
ed with  God,  as  the  sacrifices  of  old  were. 

"But  to  do  good,"  &c.  (Se)  hut,  is  only  continuative, 
and  may  be  rendered  moreover;  to  the  former  duties 
add  this  also.  Having  prescribed  the  great  duty  of 
divine  worship,  some  may  think  that  this  is  the  whole 
required  of  them;  but,  to  obviate  that  dangerous  evil, 
forget  not  this  important  addition.  There  may  be  a 
Meiosis  in  the  expression,  "to  do  good  forget  notf 
that  is,  diligently  attend  to  those  things;  which  iiv 
cludeth, 


Ver.  15^17.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  45i 

1.  A  gracious  propensity  and  readiness  of  mind  to 
do  good  to  all.  "The  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things,^ 
Isa.  xxxii,  8. 

2.  The  acting  of  this  inclination  in  all  ways  spiril 
uaj  and  temporal,  whereby  we  may  be  useful  and 
helpful  to  mankind. 

3.  The  embracing  of  all  occasions  and  opportuni 
ties  for  the  exercise  of  pity,  compassion,  and  loving- 
kindness  on  the  earth.  It  is  required,  that  the  design 
of  our  lives,  according  to  our  abilities,  be  to  do  good  to 
others;  which  is  comprehensive  of  all  the  duties  of  the 
second  table. 

This  {evTTouci)  beneficence  is  the  life,  salt,  and  as  \t 
were,  the  ligament  of  human  society;  it  is  the  glory  of 
religion,  rendering  it  divinely  honorable;  is  a  great 
evidence  of  the  renovation  of  our  natures  into  the  like- 
ness and  image  of  God,  and  a  convincing  demonstrar 
tion  of  our  having  altered  our  centre,  end,  and  inter- 
est, from  self  to  God. 

A  particular  instance  of  this  beneficence  is  (-/Oivwi/ZK  i 
communication,  the  actual  exercise  of  that  charity  to- 
wards the  poor,  which  is  required  of  us  according  to 
our  ability.  To  be  negligent  herein,  is  to  despise  the 
wisdom  of  God,  in  the  disposal  of  the  lots  and  condi- 
tions of  his  own  children  in  the  world,  in  so  great  va- 
riety, for  the  exercise  of  our  graces;  such  as  patience, 
submission,  and  trust,  in  the  poor;  thankfulness,  boun- 
ty, and  charity,  in  the  rich.  Where  these  graces  arc 
mutually  exercised,  there  is  beauty,  order,  and  har- 
mony, in  this  effect  of  Divine  wisdom,  with  a  revenue^ 
of  glory  and  praise  to  himself,  lie  that  gives  aright 
fmds  the  power  of  Divine  grace  in  his  heart;  and  he 
that  receives  aright,  is  sensible  of  Divine  care  and  Iovq 
in  seasonable  supplies.  God  is  nigh  to  both.  No  man 
is  rich  or  poor  merely  for  himself;  but  to  fill  up  that 

VQL.  IV.  57 


452  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

public  01  der  of  things,  which  God  hath  designed  to  his 
own  glory. 

§5.  The  observance  of  these  duties  the  apostle  press- 
eth  on  them,  because  "with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well 
pleased."  He  still  calls  our  Christian  duties  by  the 
name  of  sacrifices,  seeing  they  have  the  general  nature 
of  sacrifices,  as  to  cost  and  parting  with  what  is  ours. 
And,  indeed,  all  things  done  for  God,  to  his  glory,  and 
which  is  accepted  with  him,  may  be  so  called.  The 
force  of  the  motive  consists  in  this,  that  "with  these 
sacrifices  {evape  qeilai  o  Qsoq)  '''God  is  uell  pleased ;^^ 
there  is  a  clear  intimation  of  the  special  pleasure  of 
God  in  these  things;  he  is  well  pleased  with  it  in  an 
especial  manner. 

§6.  ''Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you."  This 
is  the  third  instance  of  duties  required  in  our  Christian 
profession,  on  the  account  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  our  sanctification  by  his  blood.  Let  us  go  forth- 
let  us  sacrifice,  and — let  us  obey. 

A  few  things  may  be  here  premised: 

1.  There  is  a  supposition  of  a  settled  church  state 
among  them  to  whom  the  apostle  wrote,  see  chap,  x, 
24,  25;  for  there  were  among  them  rulers  and  the 
ruled, 

2.  The  epistle  was  written  immediately  to  the  com- 
munity of  the  faithful,  or  body  of  the  fraternity  m  the 
church,  as  distinguished  from  their  rulers  and  guides, 
ver.  24. 

3.  The  special  duty  here  prescribed  extends  to  all 
that  concerns  church  rule  and  order;  for  all  springs 
from  the  "due  obedience  of  the  church  to  its  rulers," 
and  their  due  discharge  of  their  office. 

§7.  "Them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,"  {roig  vjys- 
txevoiQ  v^wv)  your  guides  or  leaders;  who  rule,  not  with 
magisterial  power  or  rigid  authority;  but  with  spijitual 


Ver.  15—17.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        453 

care  and  benignity,  which  were  then  of  two  sorts,  1 
Tim.  V,  17;  s'jch  as,  together  with  rule,  labored  also  in 
the  word  and  doctrine,  and  such  as  attended  to  rule 
only.  Those  here  intended  were  the  ordinary  elders, 
or  officers  of  the  church,  which  were  then  settled 
among  them. 

It  is  with  respect  to  their  teaching,  or  pastoral  feed- 
ing, that  they  are  commanded  to  obey  them;  for  the 
word  (xf/6ofAa/)  signifies  obedience  on  a  persuasion; 
such  as  doctrine,  instruction,  or  teaching  produceth. 
And  the  submission  required  {uTsiHele)  submit  your* 
selves,  respects  their  rule;  obey  their  doctrine,  and  sub- 
mit to  their  rule.  Some  things  must  be  remarked  to 
clear  the  apostle's  intention: 

1 .  It  is  not  a  blind  implicit  obedience  and  subjection, 
that  is  here  prescribed;  for  there  is  nothing  more  con- 
trary to  the  whole  natuie  of  gospel  obedience,  which 
is  our  reasonable  service. 

2.  It  respects  them  in  their  office  only.  If  those 
who  suppose  themselves  in  office,  teach  and  enjoin 
things  that  belong  not  to  their  office,  there  is  no  obe- 
dience due  to  them  by  virtue  of  this  command. 

3.  It  is  their  duty  so  to  obey,  whilst  they  "teach 
the  things  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  appointed 
them  to  teach,"  Matt,  xxviii,  20;  and  to  submit  to  their 
rule,  whilst  it  is  exercised  in  the  name  of  Christ  accord- 
ing to  the  word,  and  not  otherwise.  When  they  de- 
part from  these,  there  is  neither  obedience,  nor  sub^ 
mission,  due  to  them.     Wherefore, 

4.  In  the  performance  of  these  duties,  there  is  sup- 
posed a  judgment  to  be  made  of  what  is  enjoined  or 
taught  by  the  word  of  God;  and  our  obedience  to 
them  must  be  obedience  to  God. 

5.  On  this  supposition  their  word  is  to  be  obeyed,  and 
their  rule  submitted  to:  not  only  because  they  are  truf 


4M  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IS. 

and  right  materially;  but  also  because  they  are  iheifs 
and  conveyed  from  them  by  divine  institution.  A  re- 
gard is  to  be  had  to  their  authority  and  office  powers 
in  what  they  teach  and  do. 

§8.  "For  they  watch  for  your  souls,  as  they  that 
must  give  account,"  Obey  them,  for  they  <t£jafc/i;  make 
this  consideration  a  motive  to  your  duty  (aypuTrvac;) 
they  watch  with  the  greatest  care  and  diligence,  not 
without  trouble  and  danger;  as  Jacob  kept  and  watch- 
ed the  flock  of  Laban  in  the  night  {vKt^  twv  4/u%wv 
viJ.uv)for  your  souls;  for  their  good,  denoting  the  final 
cause;  that  your  souls  may  be  guided,  kept,  and  direct- 
ed to  their  present  duty,  and  future  reward.  As  if  it 
were  said,  the  important  work  of  these  rulers  is  only 
to  take  care  of  your  souls;  to  preserve  them  from  evil, 
sin,  and  backsliding;  to  instruct  and  feed  them;  to  pro- 
mote your  faith  and  obedience,  that  they  may  lead  you 
safely  to  eternal  rest;  for  this  is  their  office  appointed, 
and  herein  do  they  labor  continually. 

Where  there  is  not  the  design  of  church  rulers, 
where  it  is  not  their  work  and  employment,  where 
they  do  not  evidence  it  to  be  so,  they  can  claim  no 
obedience  from  the  church  by  virtue  of  this  rule;  be- 
cause this  watching  belongs  essentially  to  the  exercise 
of  the  office,  without  which  it  is  but  an  empty  name. 
On  the  other  side,  that  all  the  members  of  the  church 
may  be  kept  in  due  obedience  to  their  guides,  it  is  nec- 
essary, that  they  always  ^-consider  the  nature  of  this 
office,  and  their  discharge  of  it."  When  they  find 
that  the  office  itself  is  a  divine  institution  for  the  good 
of  their  souls,  and  that  it  is  discharged  by  their  guides, 
with  labor,  care,  and  diligence,  they  will  be  disposed 
to  obedience  and  submission.  And  herein  consists  the 
beauty  and  usefulness  of  church  order;  when  the 
guides  make  it  evident,  that  their  whole  design  is  la 


Ver.  15— ir.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.        435 

boriously  and  diligently  to  promote  the  eternal  welfai^e 
of  the  souls  committed  to  their  care;  and  when  the  peo- 
ple, on  the  other  hand,  obey  them  in  their  doctrine, 
and  submit  to  them  in  their  rule. 

§9.  "As  tHey  that  must  give  account;"  that  is,  of  their 
office,  and  the  discharge  of  it.  They  are  not  owners, 
but  stewards;  they  are  not  sovereigns,  but  servants^ 
There  is  a  great  Shepherd  to  whom  they  must  give  an 
account  of  their  office,  of  their  work,  and  of  the  flock 
committed  to  their  charge.  Although  the  last  great 
account,  which  all  church  guides  must  give  of  their 
stewardships,  may  be  intended,  yet  the  present  ac- 
count which  they  give  every  day  to  Jesus  Christ,  of 
the  work  committed  to  them,  is  also  included.  There 
are  no  conscientious  church  guides,  but  do  continually 
represent  to  the  Lord  Christ  the  state  of  their  flock, 
and  what  is  the  success  of  their  ministry  among  them. 
If  they  thrive,  if  they  flourish,  if  they  go  on  to  perfec- 
tion, this  they  give  him  an  account  of;  blessing  him 
for  the  work  of  his  spirit  and  grace  among  them.  If 
they  are  unthrifty,  fallen  under  decays,  &c.  therein 
also  they  give  an  account  to  Jesus  Christ;  they  spread 
it  before  him,  mourning  with  grief  and  sorrow.  The 
supposition  of  an  account  given  with  sorrow,  can  refer 
to  no  other  account,  but  that  which  is  present,  with 
respect  to  the  success  of  the  ministry.  And,  in- 
deed, much  of  the  life  of  the  ministry,  and  benefit  of 
the  church,  depends  on  the  continual  "giving  an  ac- 
count" to  Christ  by  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  of  the 
state  of  the  church,  and  success  of  the  word  therein. 

Those  guides  who  esteem  themselves  obliged  there- 
to, and  who  live  in  the  practice  of  it,  will  find  their 
minds  engaged  thereby,  to  constant  diligence,  and 
earnest  laboring  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty. 

§10.  "For  that  is  unprofitable  for  you."  Now  this 
.70?/  or  sorro'i&,  wherewith  they  are  affected   in  giving 


456  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

their  accounts,  doth  not  here  immediately  respect  them- 
selves, or  their  own  ministry,  (for  they  are  "a  sweet  sa- 
vor unto  God,  both  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in 
them  that  perish;")  but  the  church  committed  to  their 
guidance.  » 

1.  The  duty  is  urged,  that  they  may  give  their  ac- 
count (iui<e1«  %«p«e)  with  jot/.  What  matter  of  the  great- 
est joy  is  it  to  faithful  pastors,  when  they  find  the  souls 
of  their  charge  thriving  under  their  ministry!  Thus 
one  of  the  apostles  themselves:  I  have  no  greater  joy, 
than  to  hear  that  my  children  walk  in  the  truth,"  3 
John,  ver.  4.  And  thus  another:  "What  is  our  hope, 
or  jo?/,  or  crown  of  rejoicing?  are  ye  not  in  the  pres- 
ence of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming?  for  ye 
are  our  glory  and  jo?/."  1  Thes.  ii,  19,  20.  And  when 
they  give  this  account  with  glory  and  praise,  it  fills  their 
heart  withjoy  in  a  particular  manner.  And  this,  on  ma- 
ny accounts,  is  '^profit able'^  for  the  church  itself;  they 
will  quickly  find  the  effects  of  the  jo?/  of  their  guides,  in 
their  account,  by  thecheerful  discharge  of  their  ministry, 
and  in  token  of  Christ  being  well  pleased  with  them. 

2.  The  duty  is  pressed  for  the  avoidance  of  the  con- 
trary frame  (fAii  qevu^ovleg)  not  with  grief ;  not  grieving 
or  mourning.  The  sadness  of  the  hearts  of  gospel 
ministers  upon  the  unprofitableness  of  the  people,  or 
their  shameful  miscarriages,  is  not  easy  to  be  expressed. 
With  what  sighing,  wiiat  groaning  (as  the  word  sig- 
nifies) their  accounts  to  Christ  are  accompanied,  he 
alone  knows,  and  the  last  day  will  manifest.  When 
it  is  thus,  although  they  have  the  present  burden  and 
trouble  of  it,  yet  it  is  unproftable  for  the  people,  both 
here  and  hereafter;  unprofitable  in  the  discouragement 
of  their  guides,  in  the  displeasure  of  Christ,  and  in  all 
the  alarming  consequences  which  will  ensue. 

§11.  From  the  whole  passage  thus  explained,  o7?- 
serve: 


Ver.  15— ir.        EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.         457 

1.  Thankfulness  is  the  peculiar  animating  principle 
of  all  gospel  obedience.     And, 

2.  Every  act  of  grace  in  God,  or  love  in  Christ,  to- 
wards us,  is  in  its  own  nature  obligatory  to  thankful 
obedience. 

3.  The  religious  worship  of  any  creatures,  under 
whatever  pretence,  hath  no  place  in  our  Christian  pro- 
fession.    And, 

4.  Every  act  and  duty  of  faith  hath  in  it  the  nature 
of  a  sacrifice  to  God,  wherewith  he  is  well  pleased. 

5.  The  great,  yea,  the  only  encouragement  which 
we  have  to  bring  our  sacrifice  to  God,  with  expecta- 
tion of  acceptance,  lieth  herein;  that  we  are  to  offer 
them  by  him,  who  can  and  will  make  them  accepta- 
ble in  his  sight.     And, 

6.  Whatever  we  tender  to  God,  and  not  by  Christ, 
hath  no  other  acceptance  with  him  than  the  sacrifice 
of  Cain. 

7.  To  abide  and  abound  in  solemn  praise  to  God, 
for  Jesus  Christ,  his  mediation  and  sacrifice,  is  the  con- 
stant duty  of  the  church,  and  the  best  character  of 
sincere  believers. 

8.  A  constant  solemn  acknowledgment  of  the  glory 
of  God,  and  of  the  holy  excellencies  of  his  nature 
(here  called  his  name)  in  the  work  of  redemption,  by 
the  suffering  and  offering  of  Christ,  is  our  principal  du- 
ty, and  the  animating  soul  and  principle  of  all  other 
duties. 

This  is  the  great  sacrifice  of  the  church,  the  princi- 
pal end  of  all  its  ordinances  of  worship,  the  means  of 
expressing  our  faith  and  trust  in  the  mediation  of 
Christ,  and  of  giving  up  the  revenue  of  glory  to  God, 
which,  in  this  world,  we  are  entrusted  with. 

^12.  1.  It  is  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men,  when 
an  attendance  to  one  duty  is  abused  to  countenance 


458  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  IS. 

the  neglect  of  another.  So  may  the  duties  of  the  first  ta- 
ble be  abused,  to  the  neglect  of  those  of  the  other,  and 
the  contrary.  There  is  an  harmony  in  obedience,  and 
a  failure  in  any  one  part  disturbs  the  whole. 

2.  The  unbelieving  world  itself  receives  great  ad- 
vantage by  the  grace  administered  from  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  its  fruits,  whereof  the  apostle  treats;  for 
there  is  an  inclination  wrought  in  them  who  are  sanc- 
tified by  his  blood,  to  do  good  to  all  men,  as  they  are 
able.  And  did  all  those,  who  at  this  day  profess  the 
name  of  Christ,  shew  forth  the  virtue  of  his  mediation 
in  these  duties,  both  the  profession  of  religion  would 
be  glorious,  and  the  benefit  which  the  world  would 
receive  thereby,  would  be  unspeakable. 

3.  That  religion  which  doth  not  dispose  men  to  be- 
nignity, and  the  exercise  of  loving-kindness  towards 
all,  hath  no  relation  to  the  cross  of  Christ. 

4.  Much  less  hath  that,  which  disposeth  its  profes- 
sors to  rage,  cruelty,  and  oppression  of  others. 

5.  We  ought  always  to  admire  the  glory  of  Divine 
wisdom,  which  hath  so  disposed  the  state  of  the  church 
in  this  world,  that  there  should  be  a  continual  occasion 
for  the  exercise  of  every  grace  mutually  among  our- 
selves. 

6.  Beneficence  and  communication  are  the  onl^ 
outward  evidences  and  demonstrations  of  the  renova- 
tion of  God's  image  in  us. 

7.  God  hath  laid  up  provision  for  the  poor,  in  the 
grace  and  duty  of  the  rich;  not  in  their  coffers,  and 
their  barns,  wherein  they  have  no  interest.  And  iji 
that  grace  lies  the  right  of  the  poor  to  be  supplied. 

8.  That  the  will  of  God  revealed  concerning  his  ac- 
ceptance of  any  duties,  is  the  most  effectual  motive  to 
our  diligence  in  them.  Promise  of  acceptance  gives 
life  to  obedience. 


Ver.  18,  19.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  459 

9.  The  works  and  duties,  which  are  peculiarly  use- 
ful to  men,  are  peculiarly  acceptable  to  God. 

§13.  1.  The  due  obedience  of  the  church,  in  all  its 
members,  to  the  rulers  of  it,  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duty,  is  both  the  best  means  of  its  edification,  and  the 
chief  cause  of  order  and  peace  in  the  whole  body. 

2.  An  assumption  of  right  and  power,  by  any,  to 
rule  over  the  church,  without  evidencing  their  design 
and  work  to  be  a  watching  for  the  good  of  their  souls, 
is  pernicious  to  themselves,  and  ruinous  to  the  church. 

3.  Those  who  attend  conscientiously  and  diligent- 
ly to  the  discharge  of  their  ministerial  work,  towards 
their  flocks,  have  no  greater  jo//,  or  sorrow  in  this 
world,  than  what  accompanies  the  daily  account  which 
they  give  to  Christ,  of  the  discharge  of  their  duty 
among  them,  according  to  the  success  they  meet  with. 

VERSES  18,  19. 
Pray  for  us;  for  ive  trtist  ive  have  a  good  conscience^  in  all  t/iitigs 
willing  to  live  honestly.     Hut  I  beseech  you    the  rather  to   ciq 
this,  that  I  may  be  restored  to  you  the  sooner^ 

§1.  Contents  of  the  close  of  the  epistle.  §2.  Tiic  true  reason  of  Paul's  con- 
cealing his  name  §3.  Exposition.  His  request  of  their  prayers.  ^^4.  The 
ground  of  his  confidence.    ^5.  His  farther  earnestness,     J6.  Observation, 

§1.  Of  the  close  of  the  epistle,  which  only  now  re- 
mains, there  are  three  parts.  (1.)  The  apostle's  re- 
quest oii\it\r  prayers  for  himself,  ver.  18,  19.  (2.) 
His  solemn  bencdictive  prayer  for  them,  ver.  20,21. 
(3.)  An  account  of  the  state  of  Timothy,  with  the 
usual  salutation,  ver.  22 — 25. 

§2.  From  this  concluding  part  of  the  epistle  it  is  ev- 
ident, that  the  author  did  not  conceal  himself  from  the 
Hebrews,  neither  was  that  the  reason  why  his  name 
was  not  prefixed  to  it,  as  to  all  his  other  epistles.  For  he 

VOL.  IV.  58 


46d  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

plainly  declares  himself,  in  all  his  circumstances,  as 
one  who  was  veiy  well  known  to  them.  But  the 
true  and  only  reason  of  that  omission  was,  because 
he  dealt  not  with  these  Jewish  converts  merely  by  vir- 
tue of  liis  apostolical  auilioHty,  and  the  revelation  of 
the  gospel,  which  he  had  received  from  Jesus  Christ, 
on  which  ground  he  dealt  with  the  Gentile  churches; 
but  lays  his  foundation  in  the  authority  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament scriptures,  which  they  acknowledged,  and  re- 
solves all  his  arguments  and  exliortations  thereto. 
Hence  he  gave  no  title  to  the  epistle;  but  immediate- 
ly laid  down  the  principle  and  authority  on  which  he 
would  proceed,  vh.  the  Divine  revelation  of  the  Old 
Testament. 

§3.  There  are  in  the  words: — A  request  m^ide,  "Pray 
for  us."  The  ground  which  gave  him  confidence 
therein;  "for  we  trust,"  &c.  A  pressing  the  same  re- 
quest, with  respect  to  his  present  state  and  design,  ver. 
19.  "But  I  beseech  you,"  &c.  It  was  their  duty  al- 
ways to  pray  for  him;  but  to  mind  them  of  that  duty, 
and  to  manifest  what  esteem  he  had  of  it,  he  makes  it 
a  point  of  request;  as  we  ought  mutually  to  do  among 
ourselves.  And  this  argues  a  confidence  in  their  faith 
and  mutual  love,  without  which  he  would  not  have 
required  their  prayer  for  him.  And  he  grants  that 
the  prayers  of  the  meanest  saints  may  be  useful  to  the 
greatest  apostles,  both  with  respect  to  their  persons, 
and  the  discharge  of  their  office.  Hence  it  was  usu- 
al with  Paul,  to  desire  the  prayers  of  the  churches  to 
wliom  he  wrote,  2  Cor.  i,  11;  Ephes.  vi,  19,  &c.  For  in 
mutual  prayer  for  each  other  consists  one  principal 
part  of  the  communion  of  saints,  wherein  they  are 
helpful  to  one  another  at  all  times,  and  in  all  condi- 
tions.    And  herein  he  also  manifests  what  esteem  he 


Ver.  18,  19.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  461 

had  of  them,  whose  prayers  he  thought  would  find 
acceptance  with  God  on  his  behalf. 

§4.  As  a  ground  of  his  confidence  in  this  request, 
he  adds:  "for  we  trust  we  have  a  good  conscience." 
As  sincerity  in  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience 
gives  us  a  confidence  before  God,  in  our  own  prayers, 
notwithstanding  our  many  failings  and  infirmities;  so, 
it  is  requisite  in  our  requests  for  the  prayers  of  others. 
For  it  is  the  height  of  hypocrisy  to  desire  others  to 
pray  for  our  deliverance  from  tliat  which  we  willing- 
ly indulge  ourselves  in;  or  for  such  mercies  as  we  can- 
not receive  without  foregoing  what  we  will  not  for^ 
sake.  This,  therefore,  the  apostle  here  testifies  con- 
cerning himself,  in  opposition  to  all  reproaches 
and  jalse  reports,  which  they  had  heard  concerning 
him. 

The  testimony  of  his  "having  a  good  conscience," 
consists  in  this,  that  he  "was  willing,  in  all  things,  to 
live  honestly."  A  \n  ill,  resolution,  and  suitable  en- 
deavors to  live  honestly  in  all  things,  is  a  fruit  and  ev- 
idence of  a  good  conscience.  Being  ^^t£illing"  de- 
notes readiness,  resolution,  and  endeavor,  extending 
to  all  things,  wherein  conscience  is  concerned,  or  our 
whole  duty  towards  God  and  men.  The  expression 
of  Hiving  honestly ^^  as  it  is  commonly  used,  doth  not 
reach  the  emphasis  of  the  original.  A  beauty  in  con- 
versation, or  exact  eminency  therein,  is  intended. 
This  was  the  apostle's  design  in  all  things,  and  ought 
to  be  that  of  all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  both  for 
their  own  sakes,  as  it  is  what  in  an  especial  manner 
is  required  of  them,  and  also  that  they  may  be  con- 
vincing examples  to  the  people. 

§5.  "Bat  I  beseech  you  the  rather,"  &c.  He  is  fur- 
ther earnest  in  his  request,  with  respect  to  his  design  of 
coming  in  person  unto  them.     Here  it  is  implied,  that 


462  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

he  had  been  %vith  them  formerly — that  he  desires  to  be 
restored  to  them;  that  is,  to  corneto  them  o^'rti>i,that 
they  might  have  the  benefit  of  his  ministry,  and  he  the 
comfort  of  their  faith  and  obedience;  that  the  Lord 
Christ  did  dispose  of  the  affairs  of  his  church  much 
according  to  their  prayers,  to  his  own  glory,  and 
their  great  consolation.  Yet  it  is  uncertain  whether 
ever  this  desire  of  his  was  accomplished  or  no;  for  the 
epistle  was  written  after  the  close  of  the  apostolical  his- 
tory in  the  Book  of  the  Acts,  and  from  thence  forward 
we  have  little  certainty  in  matter  of  fact. 

§6.  Observation.  According  to  our  present  appre- 
hensions of  duty,  we  may  lawfull}^  have  earnest  desires 
after,  and  may  pray  for  such  things,  as  shall  not  in  fact 
come  to  pass.  The  sacred  purposes  of  God  are  not 
the  rules  of  our  prayers. 


VERSES  20,  21. 
JVoiv  the  Goi  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord 
Jefius,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of 
the  e-verlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work 
to  do  his  win,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well  pileasing  in  his 
sight,  through  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever,  Amen. 

§1.  The  apostle's  prajer  for  them.  2.  Tlie  title  given  to  God;  the  God  of  peace. 
§3.  The  work  ascribed  to  him,  as  the  God  of  peace  (^k.  Through  the  blood  of 
the  everlasting  covenant.  §5.  The  way  wherehy  we  mav  be  enabled  eftectu- 
ally  to  do  the  will  of  God.  §6.  An  ascription  of  glory  to  Clirist  \7 ■  Obser- 
vations, yi.  The  author's  devout  thanks  and  praise  to  Clirist,  for  his  ei'atious 
help. 

^1.  Having  desired  their  prayer  for  him,  he  adds 
his  prayer  for  them,  and  therewith  gives  a  solemn 
close  to  the  whole  epistle.  A  glorious  prayer  it  is, 
enclosing  the  whole  mystery  of  Divine  grace,  both  in 
its  original,  and  the  way  of  its  communication.  He 
prays  for  the  fruit  and  benefit  of  all  he  had  before  in- 
structed them  in,  to  be  applied  to  them;  for  the  sub- 


Ver.  20,2;.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  JIEBREWS.  463 

stance  of  the  whole  doctrinal  part  of  the  epistle  is  in- 
cluded in  his  comprehensive  prayer. 

There  are  some  things  to  be  considered  in  this 
prayer,  for  the  exposition  of  the  words.  (1.)  The 
title  assigned  to  God,  suited  to  the  request  made.  (2.) 
The  icork  ascribed  to  him  suitable  to  that  title.  (3.) 
The  things  prayed  for,  &.C.  (4.)  A  t/o.ro/ogz/,  with  a 
solemn  close  of  the  whole. 

§2,  The  title  assigned  to  God,  or  the  name  by  which 
he  calls  upon  him  is,  ''the  God  of  peace."  All  things 
being  brought  by  sin  into  a  state  oi  disorder,  confusion, 
and  enmity,  there  was  no  spring  of  peace  left;  no 
cause  of  it,  but  in  the  nature  and  will  of  God,  which 
eminently  justifies  this  title."  He  alone  is  the  author 
of  all  peace,  both  in  the  preparation  and  the  commu- 
nication of  it  by  Jesus  Clirist.  All  |3eace  is  from  him; 
that  which  we  have  with  himself,  in  our  own  souls, 
between  angels  and  men,  between  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
The  Hebrews  had  been  tossed,  perplexed,  and  disquiet- 
ed, with  various  doctrines  and  picas  about  the  law, 
and  the  observance  of  its  institutions.  Wherefore, 
having  performed  his  part  in  communicathig  the  truth 
to  them,  he  now,  as  a  suitable  close  of  the  whole,  ap- 
plies himself,  by  prayer,  to  the  God  of  peace;  that  he, 
who  alone  is  the  author  of  it;  who  ''creates"  it  where 
he  pleaseth,  w  ould,  through  his  instruction,  give  rest 
and  peace  to  their  minds. 

Note.  If  this  be  the  title  of  God;  if  this  be  his  glory, 
that  he  is  "the  God  of  peace,"  how  excellent  and  glo- 
rious is  that  peace,  from  whence  he  is  so  denominated, 
and  which  we  have  with  himself,  by  Jesus  Christ. 

§3.  '-That  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord 
Jesus."  All  the  work  of  God  towards  Jesus  Christ, 
respected  him  as  the  head  of  the  church,  as  our  Lord 
and  Savior;  and  thence  alone  have  we  an  interest  in 


464  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13 

all  the  grace  of  it.  Again,  he  is  described  by  his  office, 
under  which  consideration  he  was  the  object  of  the 
work  mentioned;  "that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep;" 
he  v/ho  was  promised  to  the  church,  and  the  object  of 
its  Caith  and  hope,  from  the  beginning;  he  who  was 
looked  for,  prayed  for,  and  who  was  now  actually 
come  as  the  Savior  of  his  flock.  He  is  said  to  he  great  on 
many  accounts;  in  his  person,  in  his  power  to  preserve 
and  save  his  flock;  in  his  undertaking,  and  the  effect- 
ual accomplishment  of  it;  and  his  glorious  exaltation. 
He  is  every  way  incomparahly  great  and  glorious. 

Note.  The  safety,  security,  and  consolation  of  the 
church  much  depend  on  this  greatness  of  our  Shep- 
herd. 

He  is  "the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep;"  they  are  his 
own.  He  was  promised  and  prophesied  of,  under 
the  name  of  a  Shepherd,  Isa.  xl,  11;  Ezek.  xxxiv,  23; 
chap,  xxxvii,  24;  and  that  which  is  signified  hereby,  is 
comprehensive  of  the  whole  office  of  Christ,  as  king, 
priest,  and  prophet  of  the  church.  For  as  a  Shepherd, 
he  feeds;  that  is,  rules  and  mstructs  it;  and  being  "that 
Shepherd  who  was  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  sheep^^ 
John  X,  11;  he  executes  towards  them  his  priestly 
office  also.  All  the  elect  are  committed  to  him  of  God, 
as  slieep  to  a  shepherd,  to  be  redeemed  and  preserved, 
by  virtue  of  his  office.  That  which  we  are  here  prin- 
cipally taught  is,  that  he  "died  in  the  discharge  of  his 
office,"  as  the  "great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep;"  which 
expresseth  both  the  excellency  of  his  love,  and  the  cer- 
tainty of  the  salvation  of  the  elect. 

The  God  of  peace  "brought  him  again  from  the 
dead."  Herein  consisteth  his  great  acting  towards  the 
church,  as  the  God  of  peace,  and  herein  he  laid  the 
foundation  for  communicating  unto  us  grace  and 
peace.     God,  even  the  Father,  is  frequently  said  to 


V^ER.  20,21.     EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  465 

^'raise  Christ  from  the  dead,"  because  of  his  sovereign 
authority  in  the  disposal  of  the  whole  work  of  re- 
demption; and  Christ  is  said  to  raise  himself,  or  Ho 
take  his  life  again,"  when  he  was  dead;  because  of  the 
immediate  efficacy  of  his  divine  person  therein,  John 
X,  18. 

But  somewhat  more  is  intended,  than  that  mere  act 
of  Divine  power,  whereby  the  human  nature  of  Christ 
was  quickened  by  a  re-union  of  soul  and  body;  a 
7noral  act  of  authority  is  also  intended.  The  law  be- 
ing fulfilled  and  answ^ered;  the  sheep  being  redeemed 
by  the  death  of  the  Shepherd,  the  God  of  peace,  to 
evidence  that  peace  was  now  perfectly  made,  by  an 
act  of  sovereign  authority,  brings  him  again  into  a 
state  of  life,  completely  delivered  from  the  charge  of 
the  law.     See  Psal.  xvi,  10,  11. 

§4.  "Through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant;" 
the  covenant  of  grace,  which  is  a  transcript  and  effect 
ofthecovenant  of  redemption, called  "ere7'Zas^i??i»-,"  both 
in  opposition  to  the  covenant  made  at  Sinai,  which  was 
but  for  a  time,  and  accordingly  was  now  removed; 
and  because  the  effects  of  it  are  not  temporary  benefits, 
but  everlasting  mercies,  grace,  and  glory.  The  blood 
of  this  covenant  is  the  blood  of  Christ  himself;  w  hich, 
as  a  sacrifice  to  God,  confirmed  the  covenant;  and 
which,  as  it  was  sprinkled,  procured  and  communi- 
cates all  the  grace  and  mercy  of  the  covenant  to  them, 
who  are  taken  into  the  bond  of  it. 

But  how  is  God  said  to  bring  Christ  from  the  dead, 
"through  the  blood  of  the  covenant?"  In  reply,  we  re- 
mark, that  the  death  of  Christ,  if  he  had  not  risen, 
would  have  not  completed  our  redemption;  we  should 
have  been  yet  in  our  sins.  For  then  evidence  would 
be  given,  that  atonement  was  not  made.  The  bare 
resurrection  of  Chi'ist  would  not  hjwe  saved  us;  for  so 


466  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  1^. 

any  other  man  may  be  raised  by  the  power  of  God. 
But  the  ''bringhig  agaui  Christ  from  the  dead,  through 
the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,''''  gives  assurance 
of  the  complete  redemption  and  salvation  of  the  church. 
Many  expositors  have  filled  this  place  with  conjectures 
to  no  purpose,  without  so  much  as  looking  towards 
the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  words. 

§5.  "Make  you  perfect,"  or  rather,  [y^aTa^rtaut  v[i.uq) 
make  you  meet,  fit,  and  able.  This  is  what  in  your- 
selves you  are  no  way  fit  and  prepared  for,  whatever 
light,  power,  or  liberty,  you  may  be  supposed  to  have; 
it  is  not  absolute  perfection,  but  a  bringing  of  the  men- 
tal faculties  into  due  order,  to  dispose,  prepare,  and  ena- 
ble them,  that  they  may  work  accordingly.  "In  every 
good  work;"  for  every  duty  of  obedience.  In  general, 
he  designs  the  application  of  divine  grace,  through  the 
mediation  of  Christ,  for  our  sanctification,  and  the 
daily  increases  of  it. 

{Uoiuv  sv  upL/v)  '■^working  in  you  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  his  sight  through  Jesus  Christ."  This  is  the 
way — the  only  way — whereby  we  may  be  enabled  ef- 
fectually to  do  the  will  of  God.  The  efficiency  of  ac- 
tual grace  for  every  acceptable  act  of  obedience  cannot 
be  more  directly  expressed.  Through  Jesus  Christ; 
which  may  be  referred  either  to  'working  or  to  accept- 
ance. If  to  the  latter,  the  meaning  is,  that  the  best 
of  our  duties  are  not  accepted  but  upon  the  account 
of  the  merit  and  mediation  of  Christ,  which  is  most 
true;  but  it  is  rather  to  be  referred  to  the  former,  shew- 
ing that  there  is  no  communication  of  grace  to  us,  from 
the  peace  of  God,  but  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  virtue 
of  his  mediation. 

§6.  "To  w^hom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen." 
The  like  ascription  of  glory,  in  the  same  kind  of  expres- 
sion, is  made  to  God,  even  the  Father    Phil,  iv,  20, 


Ver.  20,  21.      EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  467 

^'Now  unto  God  and  our  Father  be  glory  for  ever 
and  evci',  amen."  So  1  Tim.  i,  17;  2  Tim.  iv,  18. 
*'So  it  is  jointly  to  the  Father  and  the  Son  as  mediator, 
Rev.  V,  13;  See  Gal.  i,  5.  And  whereas  this  assigna- 
tion of  glory  to  Christ  contains  divine  adoration  and 
worship,  with  the  ascription  of  glorious  divine  prop- 
erties to  him;  the  object  of  it  is  his  divine  person;  and 
the  motive  unto  it,  the  work  of  mediation.  AH  grace  is 
from  him,  and  therefore  all  glory  is  to  ascribed  to  him 
without  intermission  and  without  end.  Hereunto  is 
added  the  usual  solemn  note  of  assent  and  attestation, 
'■Amcn;^^  so  it  is,  so  let  it  be,  so  it  ought  to  be;  it  is 
true,  it  is  right  and  meet  that  so  it  should  be. 

Thus  shall  the  whole  dispensation  of  grace  issue  in 
the  eternal  glory  of  Christ.  This  the  Father  designed; 
this  is  the  blessedness  of  the  church  to  give  him:  and 
let  every  one  who  says  not  "^??2e?i"  to  it,  see  that  he 
be  not  ^'■anathema  maranatha.^^ 

§7.  That  which  we  learn  from  hence  is, 

1.  That  the  bringing  back  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
as  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  from  the  state  of  the 
dead,  through  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  is  the  great 
pledge  of  assurance  of  peace  with  God,  or  the  effecting 
of  that  peace,  which  "the  God  of  peace"  hath  designed 
for  the  church. 

2.  The  reduction  of  Christ  from  the  dead  by  "the 
God  of  peace,"  is  the  spring  and  foundation  of  all  dis- 
pensations and  communications  of  grace  to  the  church; 
of  all  the  effects  of  the  atonement  and  purchase  made 
by  his  blood;  for  he  was  rought  again,  as  the  Shep- 
herd of  the  sheep,  to  the  exercise  of  his  entire  office 
towards  the  church. 

3.  All  legal  sacrifices  issued  in  blood  and  death;  but 
there  was  no  recover?/  of  any  of  them  from  that  state, 

VOL.  IV.  59 


468  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Chap.  13. 

no  solemn  pledge  of  their  success.    The  only  supply  of 
their  weakness  was  their  frequent  repetition. 

4.  There  is  then  a  blessed  foundation  laid  for  the 
communication  of  grace  and  mercy  to  the  church,  to 
the  eternal  glory  of  God. 

§8.  And  to  Him  doth  the  poor,  unworthy  author  of 
this  exposition  desire  in  all  humility  to  ascribe  eternal 
praise  and  glory  for  all  the  mercy,  grace,  guidance,  and 
assistance  which  he  hath  received  from  him  in  his  en- 
deavors therein.  And  if  any  thing,  word,  or  expres- 
sion, through  weakness,  ignorance,  and  darkness,  which 
he  yet  laboreth  under,  have  passed  from  him  that  do 
not  tend  to  his  glory,  he  doth  here  utterly  condemn  it. 
And  he  humbly  prays,  that  if  through  his  assistance, 
and  the  guidance  of  his  Holy  Spirit  of  light  and  truth, 
any  thing  hath  been  spoken  aright  concerning  him — 
his  office,  sacrifice,  grace,  and  his  whole  mediation — 
any  light  or  direction  communicated  towards  under- 
standing the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  this  glorious 
scripture — that  he  would  make  it  abundantly  useful 
and  acceptable  to  his  church. 

And  he  doth  also  humbly  acknowledge  his  power, 
goodness,  and  patience,  in  that,  beyond  all  his  expecta- 
tions, he  hath  continued  his  life,  under  many  weak- 
nesses, temptations,  sorrows,  and  tribulations,  to  bring 
this  work  to  its  end.  ^'To  Him  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen." 

What  follows  are  certain  additional  postscripts, 
which  wereusual  with  our  apostle  in  his  other  epistles, 
of  which  we  shall  briefly  give  an  account. 

VERSES  22--25. 
jind  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation;  for 
I  have  written  a.  letter  unto  you  in  a  few  words.  Knoiv  ye, 
that  our  brother  Timothy  is  set  at  liberty,  with  whom,  if  he 
come  shortly,  I  will  see  you.  Salute  all  them  that  have  the 
rule  over  you:  and  all  the  saints,  they  of  Italy  salute  you. 
Grace  be  with  you  ell,  Amen. 


Ver.22~25.     epistle  to  the  HEBREWS.  469 

§1.  The  word  of  exhortation,  what,  §3.  To  suffer  it,  what.  §3.  In  what  sense 
a  few  words.  §4  Timothy's  imprisonment,  and  liberty.  i>5.  Paul  charges  the 
hrethren  to  salute  the  eldersand  saints  in  his  name,  <.6.  I'he  salutation  of  the 
saints  in  Italy,  to  the  Hebrews.  §7,  The  general  solemn  close.  §8.  The  sub- 
scription. 

§1.  "And  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  suffer  the  word 
of  exhortation."  He  subjoins  this  tender  address, 
to  caution  them  against  losing  the  benefit  of  it, 
through  negligence  or  prejudice.  (Tov  hoyov  tvjq  %a<^mX- 
v](rew?)  the  'word  of  exhortation  or  of  consolation;  for  it 
is  used  to  signify  both.  Wherefore  the  phrase  denotes, 
the  truth  and  doctrine  of  the  gospel  applied  to  the  edi- 
fication of  believers,  whether  by  way  of  exhortation 
or  consolation;  the  one  constantly  including  the  other. 

Most  think,  that  the  apostle  intends  peculiarly,  the 
/lorfaforf/ part  of  the  epistle,  in  chap,  vi,  10,  12,  13. 
But  I  see  no  just  reason,  why  the  tvhole  epistle  may 
not  be  intended;  for  the  nature  of  it  in  general  ispar- 
cenetical;  that  is,  "  a  word  of  exhortation,"  as  hath 
been  often  observed.  The  whole  epistle  is  intended  in 
the  next  words:  "for  I  have  written  a  letter  unto  you 
in  a  few  words;"  and  there  is  in  the  doctrinal  part  of 
it,  that  which  was  as  hard  to  be  borne  by  the  Hebrews 
as  any  thing  in  those  which  are  preceptive  or  horta- 
tory. And  I  would  not  exclude  the  notion  o^  conso- 
lation; because  that  is  the  proper  effect  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel. 

Note.  When  ministers  take  care,  that  the  word 
which  they  deliver  is  a  word  tending  to  the  edification 
and  consolation  of  the  church,  they  may,  with  confi- 
dence, press  the  entertainment  of  it  by  the  people; 
though  it  should  contain  things,  which,  by  reason  of 
their  weakness  or  prejudices,  may  be  seme  way  griev- 
ous to  them. 

§2.    (Aveyjff^e)  svffcr,  or  bear  this  word;  that  is,  in 


470  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  Cha?.  IS. 

the  first  place,  he  cautions  them  to  take  heed  that  no 
prejudices,  or  inveterate  opinions,  no  apprehensions  of 
severity  in  its  admonitions  and  threatenings,  should 
provoke  them  against  it,  render  them  impatient  under 
it,  and  so  cause  them  to  lose  the  benefit  of  it.  But 
there  is  more  intended,  namely,  that  they  should 
"bear  and  receive  it,  as  a  word  of  exhortation;"  so 
as  to  improve  it  to  their  edification.  A  necessary  cau- 
tion; for  neither  Satan,  nor  the  corruption  of  men's 
own  hearts,  will  be  wanting,  to  suggest  to  them  such 
exceptions  and  prejudices  against  it,  as  may  render  it 
useless. 

§3.  "For  I  have  written  a  letter  unto  you  in  few 
^'■words;'''  for,  considering  the  importance  of  the  cause 
wherein  he  was  engaged;  the  necessity  there  was  to 
unfold  the  whole  design  and  mystery  of  the  covenant, 
and  institutions  of  the  law,  with  the  office  of  Christ; 
considering  the  great  contests  that  were  amongst  the 
Hebrews,  about  these  things;  and  the  danger  either  of 
their  eternal  ruin,  through  a  misapprehension  of  them, 
all  that  he  hath  written  may  well  be  esteemed  but  a 
"few  words;"  and  of  which  none  could  have  been  spar- 
ed. He  hath,  in  this  matter  sent  them  (5/«  (i^uxeuv)  a 
brief  compendium  of  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  the 
gospel. 

§4.  "Know  ye,  that  our  brother  Timothy  is  set  at 
liberty,  with  whom  if  he  come  shortly,  I  will  see 
you."  Timothy  was  his  perpetual  companion  in  all 
his  travels,  labors,  and  sufferings;  serving  him  as  a  son 
his  father,  unless  when  he  sent  him  to  any  special 
work  for  the  church:  and  being  with  him  in  Jiidea,  he 
was  well  known  there;  as  also  his  worth  and  useful- 
ness. He  seems  not  to  harve  gone  to  Rome  with  Paul, 
when  the  latter  was  sent  thither  a  prisoner,  but  prob- 
ably followed  him  not  long  after;  and  there,  as  is  most 


Ver.  25—25.    EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  471 

likely,  being  taken  notice  of,  either  as  an  associate  of 
the  apostle's,  or  for  preaching  the  gospel,  he  was  cast 
into  prison.  Of  this  the  Hebrews  had  heard,  and  were, 
no  doubt,  affected  with  it;  therefore,  the  apostle  gives 
them  notice  of  his  being  dismissed  out  of  prison,  as  a 
matter  wherein  he  knew  they  would  rejoice.  The  re- 
lease of  Timothy  would  he  good  netcs  to  them.  He 
doth  not  seem  to  have  been  present  with  the  apostle,  at 
the  despatch  of  this  epistle,  for  he  knew  not  his  mind 
directly,  about  his  going  into  Judea;  only  he  apprehend- 
ed that  he  had  a  resolution  so  to  do.  And  herein  he 
acquaints  them  with  his  oiun  resolution,  to  c>ive  them 
a  visit;  which,  that  he  might  do,  he  had  before  desired 
their  prayers  for  hnn.  H  owever,  he  seems  to  intimate 
that  if  Timothy,  whose  company  he  desired  in  his 
travels,  could  not  come  speedily,  he  knew  not  whether 
his  work  would  permit  him  to  do  so.  What  was 
the  event  of  this  resolution  God  only  knows. 

§5.  "Salute  all  them,  that  have  the  rule  over  you, 
and  all  the  saints."  This  is  given  in  charge  to  them 
to  whom  the  epistle  was  sent  For  though  it  was  writ- 
ten for  the  use  of  the  whole  church,  yet  the  messengers, 
by  whom  it  was  carried,  delivered  and  committed  it, 
according  to  the  apostle's  diiection,  to  some  of  the 
brethren  by  whom  it  was  to  be  presented  and  com- 
municated to  the  church.  To  these  brethren  he  pe- 
culiarly gives  in  charge  to  salute  both  their  elders,  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  saints,  or  members  of  the  church  in 
his  name.  To  ''salute'^  in  the  name  of  another  is 
to  represent  his  kindness  and  affection;  which  the  apos- 
tle desires,  for  the  preservation  and  continuation  of  en- 
tire love  between  them.  Who  these  rulers  were,  whom 
they  are  enjoined  to  salute,  hath  been  fully  declared, 
verse  17;  and  to  call  the  members  of  the  church 
'^saints."  was  usual  with  our  apostle. 


472  .         EXPOSITION  OF  THE    HEBREWS. 

§6.  "They  of  Italy  salute  you."  Those  that  were 
with  hhn  in  Italy;  for  there  were  then  many  Chris- 
tians, both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  Some  of  those,  no 
doubt,  were  continually  with  the  apostle;  who  knowing 
his,  design  of  sending  a  letter  to  the  Hebrews,  desired 
to  be  remembered  to  them,  it  being  probable,  that  ma- 
ny of  them  were  their  countrymen,  and  well  known 
to  them. 

§7.  "Grace  be  with  you  all,  Amen."  This  was  the 
constant  close  of  all  his  epistles.  This  he  wrote  with  his 
own  hand,  and  would  have  it  esteemed  an  assured 
token,  whereby  an  epistle  might  be  known  to  be  his, 
2  Thes.  iii,  17,  18.  He  varieth  sometimes  in  his  ex- 
pressions; but  this  is  the  substance  of  all  his  subscrip- 
tions; "Grace  be  with  you  all.  By  "grace"  he  intends 
the  whole  good  will  of  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  all 
the  blessed  effects  of  it;  and  which  he  prays  may 
be  communicated  to  them. 

^8.  The  subscripfion  in  our  books  is  "written  to  the 
Hebrews,  from  Italy,  by  Timothy."  This  is  partly 
untrue;  as  that  it  was  sent  by  Timothy;  being  express- 
ly contrary  to  what  the  apostle  speaks  concerning  him 
immediately  before.  But  these  suhscriptions  have  been 
sufficiently  proved,  by  many,  to  be  spurious;  being 
the  additions  of  some  unskilful  transciibers  in  after 
aaes. 


Tw  Qeca   do^a. 


INDEX, 


The  nature  of  an  cxfwsitory  work  precludes  the  necessity  of 
referring  in  an  Index  to  many  things  that  otherwise  would  de- 
serve a  place.  The  Text  itself  will  often  be  the  easiest  refer- 
ence; and  the  Editor  presumes,  that  the  method  he  has  adopted 
in  summing  up  the  contents  of  each  verse  or  paragraph  ex- 
pounded, will  save  the  inquisitive  reader  much  time  and  trouble. 
A''.  B.  The  first  number  refers  to  the  volume — the  second  to 
the  fiage. 

Abarblncl,  opjiosition  of,  to  the  siif-  Analogy,  of  faith,  its   use   in  inter- 

fei'ing-s  of  Uie  Messiah,!,  124.   His  preting  scripture, ii,  519. 

opinion  of  llie  anointed  being  cut  Ananus,  his  cruelty  to  St.  James,!,  90. 

off,  229.     His  confession  concern-  Angelical  motions,  liow  distinguish 


ing  tlie  53d  of  Isaiah,  276. 

Abel,  how  tlie  sacrifice  and  faith  of, 
difiered  from  Cain's,  iv,  130. 

Ability,  natural  and  moral,  iii,  10. 

Abraham,  separation  of,  for  a  double 
end,  i,  99.  The  church  confined  to 
his  person  and  posterity,  ib.  Tlie 
f;itlier  of  tiie  faithful,  and  heir  of 
tlie  world,  100. 

the  ten  ti-ia1s  of,  ii,  374. 

receiving  the  blessing",  ob- 
servations on,  iii,  284. 

■  the  call  of,  containing  two 


parts,  iv,  157.    His  fiiith  commend. 

ed,  158.     In  what  sense  his  life  a 

life   of  faill),    165.      The  city  he 

looked  for,  what,  168.     His  seed, 

how  as  tlie  stars  innumerable,  178. 

How  he  fulfilled  God's  command 

in  ofiering  Isaac,    198.     His  obe- 
dience amplified,  199.     The  sup- 
port of  his  faith  in  that  trial,  202. 
Abridgments,  advantage  of  g-ood,  i,  2. 

Difficulty  of  making  good  ones,  3. 
Abridger,  the  duty  of  a  faithful  one, 

i,  4.     Of  this  work,  his  principal 

endeavor,  what,  6. 
Adam,  the  sin  of,  its  effects,  i,  122, 

125. 
Adulterers,  their  doom,  iv,  410. 
Affections,  natural,  how  mortified  by 

fai?h,iv,  189.  Wlicn  overpowered, 

by  faith,  an  evidence  of  sincerity,     Aso,  Rabbi,  compiler  of  the  Baby- 

206.  lonish  Talmud,  i.  111. 

KyiHAKoymoi;,  its  import,  iii,  292.  Assemblies,  why  so  much  forsaken. 

Agony,  of  Christ,  explained,  iii,  45.         iv,  66. 
Agrippa,  not  the  anointed  cut  off,  i.     Assistance,    special  seasons   requir- 


ed from  the  motions  of  the    Holy 

Ghost,  ii,  130. 
Angels,    the  aggravation    of   their 

apostasy,  i,  130. 
our  conceptions  of,  must  be 

regulated  by  scripture,  ii,88.  Their 

chief  glory  wherein  it  consists.  123. 

The  particular  ends  of  their  min- 
istry, 127. 
Anti-christian   state,  the    season   of 

its  continuance,  ii,  378. 
Aniiochus,  Epiphanes,  what   called 

by  the  Jews,  i,  106. 
h7ra.vyxc-iji.ct,  remarks  on,  ii,  41. 
AToA8VToti,  remarks  on,  ii,  106. 
Apostasy,  the  special  evil  of,  ii,  409. 

From  tlie  gospel,  is   a   departure 

from  the  living  God,  419.     In  the 

greatest,  God   has   some   faithful 

ones,  450. 
Appearance,  of  Christ,  iii,  642.    To 

whom,  and  for  what  end,  643. 
Apinas,  Thomas,  his  reason  why  the 

scripture  is  called  can  nical,  i,  50. 
Archimandrite,  who,  ii,  383. 
Aristotle,  his  definition  of  law,  50. 
Armillus,  some  account  of,  i,  181,184: 
Arminianism,  ojiposed  by  Dr.  Owen, 

i,  16. 
Artaxerxes,  Longimanus,  the  decree 

of,  referred  to  by  Daniel's  prophe- 

cv,  i,  243. 


229. 
Albinus,  t.lie    state    of   the   church 

about  the  beginning  of  his  govern. 

ment,  i,  90. 
Allegorical  expositions,  ii,  357. 
Altar,  tlie  Christian,  what,  iv,  438. 
Ambrose,  a  remark  of,  i,  311. 


ing,  II,  584. 

Assurance,  to  retain,  the  utmost  dil- 
igence necessary,  iii    212. 

Attendance,  on  tlie  word,  necessary 
to  perseverance,  ii,  138. 

Atonement,  the  doctrine  of,  the  life 
and  spirit  of  religion,  iii,  57. 


474 


INDEX. 


Austin,  St.  his  remark  on  the  sacred 
writers,  i,  62. 

Authority   of  Gad,    the    ground   of 
faith,  ii,  80.    Tlia  formal  re.tson  of 
our  obedience,  351. 
B 

Backslidings,  the  very  appearance  of, 
to  be  shunned,  11,  477.  Their  be- 
ginnings hardly  discoverable,  557. 
A  preservative  ag-ainst,  559. 

Baptism,  not  regeneration,  iii,  458. 
Abuses  of,  ib. 

how  represented  by  Noah's 

ark,  iv,  151. 

Baptisms,  doctrine  of,  what,  iii,  124. 

Ba^Tij-^of,  the  meaning  of,  iii,  572. 

Barchocheba,  a  false  Messiah,  i,  178. 

Barlow,  Bishop,  his  friendship  to  Dr. 
Owen,  i,  35,  arid  last  conference 
with  him,  ib. 

Barrenness,  under  the  gospel,  its 
danger,  iii,  182. 

Basil,  St.  an  excellent  saying  of,  ii, 
48.     Another,  337. 

Bates,  Dr.  his  character  in  brief  by 
Mr.  Hervey,  i,  34.     Note. 

Bechai,  Rabbi,  his  distribution  of  the 
law,  i,  104. 

Believers,  the  duty  of,  to  rejoice  in 
the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  ii,  96. 
How  related  to  one  another,  287. 
On  what  account  th.e  house  of 
God,  326.  What  required  of  tiiem, 
as  being  in  the  house,  327.  Their 
happy  state  under  the  gospel,  495 
Their  privileges  not  lessened  by 
the  gospel,  555. 

Believing,  whether  the  duty  of  sin- 
ners, ii,  450.  The  mystery  of, 
consists  in  mixing  the  truth  and 
faith  in  the  mind,  480. 

Bembus,  Petrus,  censured,  i,  60. 

Ben-Uzziel,  his  gloss  on  Jacob's 
prophecy,  i,  203. 

Berith,  constantly  rendered  h\  JiaBiM, 
i,  96.     Variously  used.  328. 

remarks  on,  iii,  503,614,615. 

Bernard,  St.  a  saying  of,  about  un- 
derstanding St.  Paul's  writings,  i, 
85. 

Biblists,  who  so  called,  i,  117. 

Biddle,  John,  Socinian  catechisms 
pubhshed  by,  i,  24. 

Blessings,  sacerdotal,  how  authori- 
tative, iii,  285,  317.  The  acts  of 
superiors,  277.    The  kinds  of,  118. 

— patriarchal,  wliat,  iv,  210. 

Grotius's  mistake  concerning  them, 
211.  Of  parents,  210.  Of  minis- 
ters, 211. 

Blood  of  Christ,  all  of  it  necessary. 


iii,  74.  Its  purifying  efficacy,  S97. 
A  ground  of  triumph  to  faith,  602. 

shed,     all    innocent,    has    a 

voice,  iv  134.  Of  Christ,  the  on- 
ly security  from  destruction,  244. 

Bi-enius    betrayed  the    doctrines  of 

Christianity,  i,  140.     Note. 
Brentius,  a   remark  of,  concerning 

the  scriptures,  i,  56. 
Buckingham,  the  Duke  of,  i,  29. 
Buxtorf,  his  treatise  on  the  MassoT 

retic  distinctions,  i,  107- 
C 
Cajetan,  scruples  of,  as  to  the  epistle 

to  the  Hebrews,  i,  54. 
Call,  an  ordinary,  to  the    nrinistrj', 

wherein  it  consists,  iii,  26. 
Canonical,  whence  the  term  derived, 

i,  49.    Marks  to  distinguish  what 

books  are,  50- 
Camero,  refuted  bySpanhemius,  i,72. 
Catalogue,  a  complete,  of  Dr.  Ovvsn's 

works,  i,  44. 
Cerinthns,  gave  occasion  to  the  writ- 
ing of  St.  Jolm's  gospel,  i,  66. 
Chaiah,   Rabbi  Jacob,    collected  the 

observations  of  the  Massorites,  i, 

107. 
Charles  II,  his  civility  to  Dr.  Owen, 

Charnock,  his  character  in  brief  by 
Mr.  Hervey,  i,  34.    Note. 

Chastisement,observations  on,  iv,312. 

Children,  the  minds  of  well-princi- 
pled, a  blessed  thing,  iv,  235. 

Christ,  the  priesthood  of,  297  the 
kingdom  or  lordship  of,  358 

superior   to    Moses,    ii,  11. 

The  only  revealer  of  the  Father's 
win,  32.  The  Father  perpetually 
present  with,  74.  His  regalia,  93. 
His  enemies,  113.  The  head  of 
his  people,  187-  His  inconceivable 
love,  200.  His  exaltation,  a 
pledge  of  final  glory  to  believers, 
202  How  he  leads  his  church 
to  glory,  214.  His  judging  omni- 
sciency,  216,  558.  The  frame  of 
his  heart  after  his  sufferings,*  256. 
God  and  man  in  one  person,  262  . 
His  atonement  for  sin  necessary 
for  reconciliation,  273.  Consid- 
eration of,  the  most  efliectiial 
means  to  free  men  from  error  295. 
Worthy  of  all  glory,  313  To  be 
divineiy  worshipped,  316. 

a  priest   and  not  of  the  tribe 

of  Levi,  how,  iii,  28.  A  discovery 
of  to  convinced  sinners  268.  No 
Savior  without  an  oblation  446.  A 
Mediator  of  a  better  covenant,  464. 


INDEX. 


473 


Christians,  warned  to  leave  Jerusa- 
lem, i,  92,  Why  unwilling  to  leave 
it.  93. 

"KptTcKoyix,  Br.  Ov/en's,  its  cliaracter, 
i,  32. 

Chrysostom,  St.  a  rule  of,  ii,  40.  Say- 
ings of,  44.  48. 

.  an  observation  of,  iii,  10.     A 

pertinent  remark  of,  172. 

Churcli,  the  same  in  substance  in 
every  age,  i,  102. 

its  immediate  dependence  on 

Christ,  ii    187. 

■ its  building,  a  great  and  glo- 
rious work,  iii,  329.  Never  loses 
any  privilege  once  granted,  562. 

"  more    honorable    in    all    its 


troubles  than  any  other  society,  iv, 

236. 
Churches,  the  schools  of  Christ,   iii, 

96. 
City   of  Jerusalem,  not    sought  by 

Abraham,   iv,    168.     Of  God,  its 

glorious  privileges,  400.    Believers 

have  none  on  earth,  in  what  sense, 

410. 
Clarkson,  his  funeral  sermon  for  Dr. 

Owen,  i,  40. 
Clemens,  Romanus,  not  the  author 

of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  i, 

70,  nor  translator,  96. 
Alexandrinus,  a  mistake  of,  i, 

70,  75. 
Command  of  God,  either  vocal  or  In- 
terpretative, ii,  84. 
Communion  with  God,  Dr.  Owen's 

publication  called,  i,  24. 
Compassion,  of  Christ,  iii,  10.     Ob- . 

servations  on,  17. 
Computation,  of  Daniel's  weeks,   i, 

231.    , 
Conant,  br.  succeeds  Dr.  Owen  as 

Vice  Chancellor,  i,  24. 
Concupiscence,  evil,  what  called  by 

the  Jews,  i,  125.    Good,  what,  ac- 
cording to  the  Jews,  127. 
Condescension,  the  great,  of  God, 

illustrated,  ii,  192. 
Confession  of  sin,  the  causes  and  end 

of  evangelical,  iv,  15.    Inseparable 

from  faith,  255. 
Confidence  of  hope,  wherein  consists, 

ii,327. 
Congregational    plan   of   discipline, 

preferred  by  Dr.  Owen,  i,  18. 
Consecrated  things,  the  use  of.^how 

ceased,  iii,  309. 
Consequences,  deducible  from  scrip. 

ture  assertions,  ii,  74. 
Consolation  of  believers,  how  pro- 
vided for,  iii,  26^. 

VOL.    IV. 


Conviction  of  sin,  the  great  surprlsal 
of,  iii,  267. 

Covenant  transactions,  between  Fa- 
ther and  Son,  i,  327. 

the  mutual  in-being  ofits  prom- 
ises and  threatenings,  ii,  498. 

the  new,  its  stability  depends 

on  the  suretiship  of  Christ,  iii,  390. 
Between  God  andman.estaMished 
on  promises,  467.  Nature  of  the 
Mosaic,  and  now  distinguished 
from  all  others,  469.  None  effect- 
ual, but  what  is  confirmed  in 
Christ,  500.  Of  grace,  its  nature 
and  properties,  50  >.  The  founda- 
tion of  a  churcl)  state,  633. 

token  of  the,  received  in  infan- 
cy, its  advantage,  iv,  235. 
Covetousness,  the  evil  of,  iv,  388. 
Counsels,  the  divine,  their  nature,  i-, 

308. 
Creation,  the'first,  subservient  to  the 
glory  of  Christ,  ii,  33.  Its  depend- 
ence on  Christ,  53.  The  stage  of 
his  grace,  55.  Deeply  concerned 
in  Christ's  incarnation,  83.  Its 
perishing-  state,  how  to  be  improv- 
ed, 107. 
Creatures,  how  used  to  the  glory  of 

God,  ii,  37. 
Cyrill,  his  excellent  observations,  iii, 

539. 
Cyrus,  his  decree  not  intended  by 
Daniel,  i,  240. 

D. 
Daniel,  his  prophecy  explained  and 

vindicated,  i.  217. 
Darius,  three  of  that  name,  5,  241» 
Data  in  tlieology,  what,  i,  393. 
Death,  allowed  by  the  Jews   to  be 
penal,  i.  124. 

the  fear  of,  inseparaUe  from 

sin,  ii.  255.    Of  Christ,   how  vic- 
torious,   258. 

in  what  respect  penal,iii,617. 

a  peculiar  season,  when  ills 

near,  iv,  215, 
Decalogue, siibstance  of  the, iii, 552. 
Decrees  of  God,  the  most  reasona- 
ble way  of  considering  them, ii, 37. 
Deliverer,  two  things  necessary  to 
qualify  him,  i,  139. 
Desire  of  all  nations,  a  name  of  the 
Messiah,  i,  211. 

what  kind  of,  should  possess 

ministers,  iii,  209.       Whence   it 
proceeds, ib. 
Despondency,  how    to   be  avoided, 

iv,  335. 
Destruction  of  gospel  conlcnQncfs, 
unavoidable,  ii,  169. 

60 


476 


INDEX. 


•  of  barren  professors,  ordina- 
rily by  f!ef!;rees,  iii,  187. 

A/*,  governing  an  acciisaiive,  and  a 
genitive,  ii,  204,  205. 

Diligence,  the  great  importance  of, 
ii,  434. 

in  duty,   expressly   required 

from    professois,    iii,    210,     213. 
Kemarks  on,  228. 

Distrust  of  God,  a  provoking  sin, 
ii,  381. 

Doctrines,  all  should  be  practically 
improved,  ii,  285. 

should  be  seasonably  admin- 
istered,  iii,  128.  Some  may  be 
omitted  for  a  season,  130. 

strange    observations  on,  iv, 

456. 

Dog's,  two  brazen  ones  made  by 
the  wise  men,  i,  281  Note. 

Dominion  of  Christ,  extends  to  all 
persons,  and  all  things,  i.  358. 

■  believer's    duty   to     re- 

joice in  the,  ii,  96. 

Duties,  the  fruit  of  faith  and  obedi- 
ence, acceptable  to  God,  iii    178. 

Duty,  an  heroic  spirit  necessarv  to 
carry    us    througli    it,      iv.  241. 
Defect  in  it  will  miike  men  lame 
in  their  profession,  336. 
E. 

Ebionites,  their  treatment  of  St. 
Paul  and  his  writings,  i,  52. 

Egyptian,  accoimt  of  the  Grecian 
empire,  i,  235 

Elias,  Rabbi,  a  tradition  of  liis 
about  the  age  of  the  world,  i,  251. 

Elohim,  remarks  on,  ii,  80. 

Eloquence,  sacred,  wherein  it  con- 
sists, i    61. 

Encouragement, our  need  of,iii,379. 

End  of  God  in  the  work,  of  I'rovi- 
dence,  i',  5SS. 

Enemies  f)rClirisf,their  end,  Ii,119. 

if  the  church,  remarks  on, 

iv,  45.  Apostates  the  worst, of  85. 

Eniedinus  scrupled  the  authority  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  i, 
54.  His  sophistical  cavil,  313. 
His  exceptions  against  a  plurality 
of  persons  in  the  Divine  nature, 
refuted,  319.  His  confidence  re- 
proved, 325. 

an  error  cf,  ivj  428. 

Enoch,  why  not  joined  with  Elias 
at  Christ's  transfiguration,  iv,135. 

"ETTiKtifjiCsLvilui,  its  false  interpreta- 
tion, confuted,  ii,  2Ci. 

Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  its  author- 
ity by  whom,  and  why  scrupled, 
i,  51.     Supposed  by   some  to  be 


written  in  Hebrew,  disproved, 75, 
95.  What  effect  it  had  on  the  pro- 
fessing Hebrews,  83.  Not  transla- 
ted by  clemens,  94.  Abounds  with 
Greek  elegancies,  ib.  Is  freer 
from  hebraisms  than  could  be 
expected  in  a  translation,  ib. 

Erasmus  scrupled  the  authority  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  i,  54. 
Ascribes  it  to  Clemens  Roman- 
us,  refuted,  73. 

a  mistake  of,  iv,  425. 

Error  in  heart,  what  meant  by  it, 
ii,  445.  The  root  of  all  provok- 
ing sins,  394. 

Esau,  his  birth -right  what,  iv,  346. 
How  sold,  347.  He  was  rejected, 
350  Found  no  place  of  repen- 
tance,  ib. 

Eternitv,  men  under  their  trial  for, 
iii,  181. 

ES-6X8  its  meaning  in  reference  to 
Cl-.rist.  ii,  21. 

Efufj^'TAvta-d-iTu.y ,  its  meaning,  iv,  266. 

Evangelized,  to  be,  a  signal  privi- 
lege, ii,  4~8. 

Evasions  of  the  Jews  answered,i,246. 

Evidences  of  a    real   union     with 

Christ,  ii,  431. 

of  a  thriving  spiritual   stat©» 

iii,  105. 

Exaltation,  the  glory  cf  Christ's 
priestly  office  depends  on  it,  iii, 
435.  Christ's  Divine  nature  in- 
capable of  it,  ib. 

Examination,  our  duty  after  hearing 
the  word,  iii,  87. 

Examples  of  our  forefiithers  to  be 
duly  considered,  ii,  368. 

Exhortations,  to  be  multiplied  in 
times  of  temptation,  ii,348.  How 
to  be  managed,  349.  To  be  influ- 
enced by  Di\ine  authority,  ib. 
Mutual.how  to  be  performed ,425. 

Experience,  how  le.irnt  by  obedi- 
ence, iii,  €7.  Of  Divine  truth, 
what,  l'i2. 

Exposition,  Dr  Owen's,  of  the  Epis- 
tle to  the  I'ebrews,  its  character 
from  memoirs  of  his  life,  i,  30« 
F. 

Faith,  how  mixed  with  truth,  Ii,  480. 
How  assisted  in  mixing  the  word, 
483.     Puts  love  on  work,  435. 

towards  God,  what,    iii,    114. 

The  importance  of  it,  138-  Its 
formal  object,  402.  Tlie  ground 
of  its  triumph,  6U2. 

-^ gives  a  present  subsistence  to 

things  future,  how,  iv,  115. 
What    sort    of,    will  carry     us 


INDEX. 


477 


Ihrougli  difficulties,  118.  A  de- 
finition of,  ib.  By'  it  objections 
aganist  invisible  things  are  refu- 
ted, ib.  Brings  into  the  soul  an 
experience  of  their  power,  119. 
A  means  of  preserving  believers 
in  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  ib. 
As  an  instrument,  includes  its 
object,  121.  Of  Abel  and  Cain, 
wherein  it  differed,  129.  May  be 
shaken,  but  not  overcome,  175. 
Its  duty  about  temporal  mercies, 
ib.  Its  formal  object  in  the  prom- 
ises, what,  175.  Looks  on  heav. 
en,  195.  In  all  ages  the  same, 
235.  Highly  rational  in  all  its 
obedience,  233.  Nothing  insu- 
perable to,,  when  rightly  engag- 
ed, 241. 

Father,  God  the,  with  respect  to 
the  order  of  subsistence,  ii,  51. 

Fear  of  God,  the  several  sorts  of, 
ii,  463.  The  proper  object  of 
gospel  comminalions,  473. 

Federal  transactions  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  i,  327. 

Fiat  lux,  some  account  of,  i,  25. 

Figment  of  the  Iiearf,  moral  cor- 
ruption so  called,  i,  125. 

First-born,  why  is  Christ  so  called, 
ii,  77. 

Flavel,  his  character  in  brief  by 
Mr.  Hervey,  i,     34.   Note. 

Fleetwood,  Charles,  Dr.  Owen's 
letter  to,  i,  36. 

Flesh,  applied  to  Christ  signifies 
what,  iii,  37. 

Fornication,  a  caveat  against,  iv, 
SI  6. 

G. 

Galgal,  what,  i,  185. 

Gemara,  compiled  by  Rabbi  Asp, 
1,111. 

GemaristP,  some  of  Ihem  hold  the 
perfection  of  the  written  law,  i, 
114 

TiviiKoyov/uimc,  its  meaning  cleared, 
iii,  292,  316. 

Genealogy  of  Christ  vindicated,  i, 
2F1. 

Gibbons,  Dr,  his  version  of  the  Lat- 
in epitaph,  for  Dr.  Owen,  i,  42. 

Gifts,  their  order  and  subserviencj', 
i,  374. 

Gilbert,  Mr.  the  author  of  the  Latin 
epitaph  for  Dr.  Owen,  i,  11. 

Glory  of  Christ,  meditations  on  the, 

its  character,  i,  33. 
God,    in   what    sense  the    God'of 
Christ,  ii,  94.     His  greatness  il- 


lustrated by  tlie  visible  creation, 
192.  His  love  and  gj-acc  in  the 
person  of  Clirist,  a  matter  of  eter- 
nal admiration,  197-  His  pres- 
ence alone  the  rule  of  desire,  400. 
His  voice  heard  by  many  to  no 
profit,  449.  Wiiy  he  preserves  a 
remnant  for  himself,  451.  Dis- 
pleased with  nothing  in  this  world 
but  sir,  4  .2. 
——what  implied  in  his  being  such 
to  any,  ol4. 

what  implied  in   believing  that 

he  is,  iv,  144. 

Godfrey,  Sir  Edmund,  i,  36. 
Goodwin,  Mr.  John  his  redemption 
redeemed,  i,  24.  Dr.  his  character 
in  brief  by  Mr  Hervey,  34.  Hote. 

Gospel,  its  doctrines  to  be  improv- 
ed for  faith  and  obedience,  ii,  285. 
Its  mysteries  require  diligent 
consideration,  2H8.  No  new  doc- 
trine, 479. 

the    word  of  righteousness, 

in  what  sense,  iii,  ICO.  The  word 
of  the,  is  spiritual  food,  104, 
Time,  a  season  of  trial  for  eterni- 
ty, 181.  Barrenness  under  the, 
attended  with  an  increase  of  sin, 
182. 

Gouge,  Mr.  Thomas,  his  book  on 
charity,  iii,  205.     Note. 

Grace,  season  thereof  to  be  im- 
proved, ii,  358. 

its  efficacy  in  calling  men,  Iv, 

160. 

GriffiUi,  Mr.  John,  his  attestation, 
i,28. 

Grotius, supposes  Luke  to  he  author 
of  the  Epistle  to   the  Hebrews, 
refuted,  i,  71.     His  mistake,  SIO, 
H. 

Haggai,  his  prophecy  concerning 
the  glory  of  the  second  house,  i, 
205. 

Hana,  Rabbi,  an  expression  of  his, 
280. 

Hartop,  Sir  John,  a  letter  to,  i.  40. 

Hasmoneans,  the  time  of  their  rule 
i.  235. 

Hearing  the  word,  the  duty  of 
Christians,  iii.  83. 

Heart,  its  error,  what,  ii.  394. 

Heavens,  what  the  shaking  of  them 
intends,  iv.  391. 

Hebrews  Epistle  to  the,  strictly  ca- 
nonical, i.  51.  By  whom  opposed, 
52.  The  judgment  of  the  Latin 
church,  concerning  it,  ib.  Objec- 
tions against  it  answered,  54.  The 


47$ 


INDEX. 


canonical  authority  of  it  demon- 
strated, 55.  Knowledge  of  the 
])enman  not  necessary,  69.  St. 
Paul  was  the  author  of  it,  70. 
Why  it  is  unsubscribed,  78.  The 
time  it  was  written,  89.  The  o  - 
casion  and  -.uccess  of  it,  94.  The 
language  of  it  was  originaltv  writ- 
ten in,  05.  Not  translated  from 
the  H  brew  by  Clemens,  96. 

Heinsius,  his  severe  censure  on 
those  who  find  fault  with  any  thing 
in  scripture,  i,  60. 

Herad,  the  whole  revenue  of,  scarce 
sufficient  t)  supply  Solomon's 
workmen  wi  h  bread,  ;.  208. 

Hervey,  his  character  of  the  puri- 
tan divines,  i,  34.     Note. 

Holy  Spirit,  discourse  on  the,  by  Dr- 
•  Owen,  i,  32. 

—  ■  continues  ti  speak  to  us  in 
scripture,  ii,  350. 

Hope,  degrees  in,  iii,  211.  The 
Christian's  anchor,  268,  269. 

Horsley,  Dr.  strictures  on,  i,  389. 

Hospitality,  a  Christian  duty  recom- 
mended, iv,  402.  A  peculiar  rea- 
son for  it,  ib. 

Hnouse  the  gbrv  of  the  latter,  what, 
i,  205,  210. 

Howe,  his  character  in  brief  by  Mr. 
Hervey,  i,  34.     Note. 

Hyde,  Lord  Chancellor,  his  opinion 
of  Dr.  Owen,  i,  26. 

J  ic»b,  his  propliecy  respecting  the 
time  of  the  Messiah's  coming,  i,196. 

his  faiih  in  blessing  the   sons 

of  Joseph,  iv,  212.  Wliy  this  par- 
ticular of  his  fuith  selected,  ib. 

Jarchi,  Rabbi  Solomon,  his  words 
plain  and  remarkable,  i,  326.  Note. 

Ido.atry 'if  the  Jews,  under  the  first 
temple,  i,  247. 

Jealousy,  Godlv,  how  a  duty,  ii, 
413.  "  Holy,  what,  414. 

Jehovah,  the  r.  ime  how  called  by 
the  cabalists,  i,  280. 

Jerome,  St.  a  remark  of  his  concern- 
ing Marcion  and  others,  i,  52.  His 
opinion  of  the  wisdom  of  Solomon, 
67. 

die  sta'  e  of  his  mind  when  a 

hermit,  ii,  383. 

Jerusalem,  heavenly,  believers  come 
to  it,  iv,  370.  The  privileges  of 
it,  371. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  true  Messi- 
ah,  i,  257.  The  characteristic 
notes  concerning  the  Messiah 
agree  all  in  him,  258.     The  Jew's 


pretence  concerning  his  miracles 
monstrous,  280      Note. 

•remarks  on  the  name,  ii,  521. 


the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant, iv,  400.  The  altar  of  the 
Church,  437. 

Jews,  their  mistake  about  the  prom- 
ise and  covenant,  i,  101.  Their 
present  notion  of  the  written 
word,  and  oral  tradition,  103. 
'I'iie  means  whereby  they  expect 
to  be  saved,  140.  Their  expecta- 
tions at  the  birth  of  Christ,  175. 
The  faith  of  their  forefathers  lost 
among  th  m,  ib.  Why  the  Mes- 
siah was  rejected  by  them,  177. 
'  Two  Messiahs  in  e.xpectatio  i  by 
them,  181.  The  causes  of  their 
unbelief,  188.  Their  confession 
concerning  the  glory  they  saw  at 
Rome,  193.  M  >dern,  their  eva- 
sions answered,  246. 

remarkable  sayings  of  theirs, 

ii,  34,  215,354,445. 
m  aggravation   of  their  pres- 
ent misery,  iii,  422. 

Ignorance,  our  calamity  and  sin,  iii, 
19. 

Illumination,  spiritual,  iii,   561. 

Imitati  n  of  good  men,  iii,  234. 

Imposition  of  hands,  iii,  125. 

Institutions  of  the  gospel,  their  im- 
portance, ii,  419. 

observations  on  Divine,  iii,  35t. 
Arbitrary  observations  on,  534, 
Of  Divine  worship,  to  be  inquir- 
ed with  diligence,  566. 

Intercession  of  Christ,  iii,  401. 
Three  ways  tyoified  under  the 
Old  Testament,  402.  The  ground 
of  consolation,  410. 

Johannan,  Rabbi,  compiler  of  the 
Jerusalem  Talmud,  i.  111. 

Joseph,  instances  of  his  faith,  iv,  216. 

Joy,  in  what  sense  set  before  Jesus, 
iv,  297. 

Isaac,  the  faith  of,  iv,  209.  Wliere- 
in  deficient,  wherein  right,  ib. 

Judah,  Rabbi,  author  of  the  Mishna, 
i,  110. 

Judgment,  the  last,  its  nature  and 
evidence,  iii,  118. 

Julian,  his  notion  of  the  scriptures, 
ii,    397. 

Justice,  of  God,  required  the  pun- 
ishment of  sin,  i,  312.  Not  con- 
trary to  mercy,  348 

satisfaction    demanded   by,     ii, 

211,  229. 

K 

Karsei,  hold  tliat  the  law  is  perfect. 


INDEX. 


479 


i,  114.  Reproved  for  it  by  their 
Jewish  bietliren,  117. 

KursLTxa^/jitv  tlie  import  of,  ii,  329. 

KaTs;^«v  to  wAsc^of,  the  meaning  of, 
ii  329. 

^oiuiiic,  tlie  signification  of,  ib. 

Kingdom  of  Clirist  its  laws  right- 
eous and  holy,  ii,  98. 

KKi^cvouoi  its  true  meaning  in  regard 
to  Christ,  ii,  i.5. 

Knowleege  of  Gotl,  observations  on, 
iii,  524. 

KpM-ya.  nryyirt,  the  meaning  of,  ex- 
plained, iii,  41. 

L 

Aa.KiiTut,  the  signification  of,  when 
appUed  to  Abel,  iv,  132. 

Lane,  John  Vincent,  author  of  Fiat 
lux,  25. 

hast  days,  tlieir  true  import,  ii,  5. 

Laud,  Archbisl'op,  his  imposition  of 
superstitious  rites  on  the  universi- 
ty of  Oxford,  i.  13. 

L:i\v,  t!ie  different  parts  of  it,  i,  142. 
Moral,  cannot  justify  us,  ib.  Of 
sacrifices,  cannot,    143,  144. 

wherein  it  agrees  with,  and  dif- 

fer-i  from  the  gospel,  ii,  4. 

how  abrogated,  iii,  365. 

terror  attending  the  promulga- 
tion of  the,  iv,  386, 

Letter,  a  peace-making  one,  i,  39. 
To  Sir  John  Hartop,  40. 

Levi,  Mr.  David,  a  letter  to  him,  i, 
401. 

Life  of  Christ  in  heaven  threefold, 
iii,  400. 

Lindanus,  »n  observation  of  his  on 
the  autliority  of  the  Scriptures, 
i,51. 

Lipman,  his  thought  of  Adam's  sin, 
i,  124. 

Ai'j.oc  Tou  ©soy,  remarks  on,  ii,  54. 

I.ove  of  Christ  in  delivering  us  from 
sin,  ii,  58.  Of  God,  how  admira- 
able,  193.  Of  Christ,  how  great, 
200. 

of  Christ,  conterni)lation  oftlic, 

iii,  66.  Its  excellence,  195,  218. 
Among  believers,  a  fruit  of  the 
spirit  of  holiness,  197.  Cautions 
against  the  hinderances  of  it,  202. 
The  most  powerful  oppositions  to 
it,  204.     Its  great  trial,  227. 

brotherly,  recommended  and  en- 
joined, iv,  402. 

Lovelace,  Lord,  Dr.  Owen  his  chap- 
lain, i,  14. 

Luke,  St.  supposed  by  some,  to  be 
the  author  of  the  Epi.'^tle  to  the 
Hebrew",  i,  71. 


M 

Marchir,  Rabbi,  a  saying  of,  i,  280. 
Maimonides,   his  notion  of  the  Mes- 
siah and  his  kingdom,  186. 

a  saying  of,  ii,  17. 

Man,  made  for  eternity,  ii,  108. 
Manesse  Ben  Israel,  Rabbi,  his  ac- 
count of  original  sin,  i,  127.  His 
opinion  of  the  anointed  cut  off,  229. 
Tlie  opinion  of  about  the  Messiah's 
reign,  '87. 

MstvSava',  the  import  of,  iii,  63. 

Marriage,  what,  honorable,  iv,    413. 

Massora,  what,  i,  106. 

Means,  are  sometimes  gi  en  without 
effectual  grace,  ii,  o89. 

Mediator,  the  difference  between 
such  and  a  surety,  iii,  381.  His 
office,  462.  A  defini  ion  of  the 
term,  ib. 

Melchlsedec,  was  the  first  priest,  i, 
301.     Was  a  sacrificer,  ib. 

and  his  pr  esthood,  iii,  272. 

Wiiethcr  a  mere  man,  273.  His 
descent  not  recorded,  wh\,  292. 
Wherein  typical  of  Christ, '295. 

Menahem,  Rabbi,  a  remaikable  spy- 
ing of,  concerning  the  sin  of  Adam, 
i,  124. 

Merchants,  Solomon's,  ii,  289. 

Mercy,  that  it  hinders  the  exercise  cf 
justice,  confuted,  i,  344.  And 
justice,  properties  of  the  Divine 
nature,  349. 

Messiah  the  first  promise  of  the,  i, 
145.  But  a  few  tim.es  denotes  the 
promised  seed  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, 153.  Frequently  occurs  in 
the  Targums,  154.  Why  called 
an  angel,  173.  Truths  spoken  of 
him  mysterious,  yet  reconciled, 
178.  Ben  Joseph,  or  Ephraim,  his 
story  a  talmudical  romance,  181. 
Ben  David,  ib.  A  Jewish  tradi- 
tlon  about  his  suffering,  182,  2.5. 
One  expected  as  a  deliverer  by  the 
Jews,  183.  Maimonldes's  notion 
of  the,  and  ff  his  kingdom,  186 
A  sum  of  the  Jewish  creed  con- 
cerning him,  187,  193  His  com- 
ing determined  ly  the  prophecy  of 
Jurob,  196;  of  Hage^a  ,  205;  of  Mal- 
achi,  216;  of  Daniel,  218.  The 
Jews  tradition  about  the  time  of 
his  birth,  251.  That  he  came 
within  the  hmlted  time,  258. 
That  no  other  during  that  season 
came,  259. 

Melhiitl,  its  advantage,  i.    5. 

M«TfiKiTat6«v,  the  signification  of,  iii. 
10. 


480 


INDEX. 


Michael,  Mr.  Dr.  Owen's  father-in 
law,  i,  38. 

Milton,  his  description  of  hell, 
iv.  359. 

Ministers,  of  the  Word,  to  gufird 
against  negligence,  ii.  30.  Their 
honor,  whence,  310.  Unfaithful, 
worthy  of  contempt,  312.  The 
greatest  but  servants,  332. 

their  desire  to  profit  their 
people,  iii.  209.  Their  duty,  218. 
Their  maintenance,  309. 

Mirandus  Picus,  his  observation  on 
the  excellency  of  the  scriptures, 
i,  63. 

Mishna,  what,  i,  110. 

Monica,  St.  Austin's  mother,  how 
she  discerned  Divine  revelation, 
i,  85. 

Moroj«W)f,  Its  import,  ii,  77, 

Morality,  not  enough  for  a  Chris- 
tian, ill.  57. 

Moses,  the  prophet,  his  privileges 
above  other  prophets,  v,  11.  The 
glory  of,  wherein  it  consisted,  121. 

. the    body    of,    what    signified 

thereby,  iii,  453 

his    parents'     faith,    iv,    224. 

The  means  of  his  attaining  the 
knowledge  of  his  descent,  229. 
The  faith  and  choice  of,  2f^0.  His 
faith  in  forsaking  Egypt,  i'38. 

Mysteries  require  an  attentive  con- 
sideration, ii,  283.  The  scrip- 
ture an  inexhaustible  repository 
of,  516.  Means  for  understanding 
them,  517. 

■        in  scripture,  require  our  dili- 
gence, iii,  81      Should  be  insisted 
on  by  ministers,  81,  143.     An  ap- 
petite  for  them,  105. 
N 

Nachman,  Rabbi  Moses  Bar,  his 
Exposition,  i,  173.  His  appre- 
hension of  the  Messiah,  174. 

Nazarenesand  Ebionites,  strictures 
on  the,  i,  397. 

Noah,    how     he     condemned     the 
world,  iv,  152.      How  he  became 
an  heir  of  righteousness,  ib. 
O 

Oath  of  God,  engaged  against  unbe- 
lief, ii,  459. 

Oath,  solemn,  lawful,  iii,  244, 

Obedience,  formal  reason  of,  ii,  351. 
Stable  and  permanent  foundation 
thereof,  352. 

of   Christ,     what,     iii,    61. 

When  acceptable,  67.  A  practi- 
cal experience  of,  »6. 


blind,  iv,  206. 


Occumenius,  his  reason  for  sup- 
posing that  Paul  was  not  the  au- 
thor of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews, confuted,  i,  74. 

Offering  of  Christ  inseparable  from 
his  suffenng,  iii,  648. 

Offices  of  Christ,  their  efficacy  de- 
pend on  his  dignity,  iii,  600. 

Old  Testament  examples,  their  use, 
ii,  355. 

Onkelos,  his  explication  of  Jacob's 
prophecy,  i,  203. 
Only. begotten,  its  genuine  import 
in  reference  to  Christ,  ii,  68. 

Opinions,  human,  insufficient  guides, 
5,  387.  Diversity  of,  3'^4.  How 
to  avoid  erroneous  ones,  395. 

Origen  supposed  Luke  to  be  the 
author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews, i,  70.  An  observation  of 
his  concerning  the  necessity  of 
the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God, 

3oa 

Owen,  Lewis,  Dr. Owen's  ancestor, 
some  account  of  him,  i,  10.  Note. 
Heni'}',  Dr.  Owen's  father,  his 
character,  11.  Note.  Dr.  his  char- 
acter in  brief  by  Mr.  Hervev, 
33.  Note. 

P. 

UctKai,  its  meaning  ascertained,  ii,  5. 

rtttvi-yv^t;  remarks  on,  iv,  375. 

Papisis,  their  agreement  with  the 
Jews  about  tradition,  i,  115. 

n«tg«jt3txs7T8,  its  import,  ii,  422. 

n^AfjivcefAiv,  \he  signification  of,  ex- 
amined, ii,  13."^. 

Parents,  how  may  they  bless  their 
children,  iii,  321. 

Paul,  St.  an  admirable  example  to 
the  dispensers  of  the  gospel,  ii, 
286. 

Payne,  Mr.  his  conversation  with 
Dr.  Owen,  i.  36. 

Penalties  annexed  to  the  gospel,  a 
motive  to  value  it,  ii,  153. 

People  of  God,  remarks  on  the 
phrase,  ii,  530. 

Perfection  of  church  state  and  wor- 
ship, wherein  it  consists,  iii,  331. 

Perfections  of  the  Deity,  all  belong 
to  the  person  of  Christ,  ii,  50. 

Perseverance  of  the  saints,  charac- 
ter of  Dr.  Owen's  book  so  called, 
i,  24. 

Persian  empire,  continuance  of  it, 
i,  233. 

Person  of  Christ,  the  glory  of  it,  ii, 
50.     As  incarnate,  52. 


INDEX. 


4$1 


importance  of  faith  in  the, 
iii,  309. 

Personal  transactions  in  the  Holy 
Trinity,  i,  309.  Distinctions  in 
God,  317. 

Petavius,  his  computation  of  Dan- 
iel's weeks,  i,  236. 

Peter,  the  apostle,  his  testimony  for 
the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  being 
written  by  St.  Paul,  i,  82. 

Phaeton,  who  compared  to,  ii,  304. 

Philo,  the  supposed  author  of  the 
Wisdom  of  Solomon,  i,  67.  His 
perplexity  in  accounting  for  God 
speaking  of  himself  in  the  plural 
number,  312. 

Pilgrimage,  what  constitutes  it,  iv, 
1^6. 

TloKuuf^cec,  its  import  considered,  ii,  7- 

Poverty,  remarks  on,  iii,  226. 

Prayer,  a  Jewish  one,  i,  143. 

Preaching,  ought  to  be  seasonable, 
iii,  128.  And  diligently  attended 
to,  177. 

Prejudices  of  tbe  Jews  obviated  by 
St.  Panl,  ii,  11. 

TJ^iTnt,  its  import  as  applied  to  God, 
1 1,204. 

Priest,  the  signification  of  the  term, 
i,  300.  Every  proper  is  ordained 
to  act  for  other  men,  304. 

Priesthood,  the  importance  of  it,  i, 
299.  And  sacrifice,  indissolubly 
related,  303.  Of  Christ,  the  ne 
cessily  of  it,  33^. 

• of  Chrisi,  a  great  encourage- 
ment to  believers,  ii,  574. 

change  of  the,  iii,   ,:47.     Of 

Christ,   its  perpetuity,   how  im- 
portant, 396. 

Priestly,  Dr.  a  letter  to,  i,  383. 
What  lie  thinks  a  good  guide  for 
discovering  the  true  sense  of 
scripture,  386.  His  method  shewn 
to  be  fallacious,  ib.  A  singular 
declaration  of  his,  395.  Animad- 
verted on,  396.  His  charge  against 
St,  Paul  answered,  397. 

Priestly  office,  its  glory  depended 
on  the  exaltation  of  Christ,  iii, 
435. 

Priests,  high,  their  number  under 
the  law,  iii,  393.  Remarks  on 
those  under  the  law  and  gospel, 
431. 

Principles,  first,  what,  iii,  97. 

Privileges,  the  disposal  of,  entirely 
with  God,  iii,  500. 

Prefaneness,  observations  on,  iv,344. 


Professors,  barren,  righteous  in 
God  to  deliver  them  up,  iii,  184. 

Progress  in  knowledge,  why  neces- 
sary, iii,  130. 

Promise  of  the  Messiah,  under  the 
notion  of  a  covenant,  i,  98. 

■ how  a  general  and  eternal  rule, 

iii,  470. 

Promises,  the  mistake  of  the  Jews 
in  regard  to  them,  i,  97.  How 
to  be  interpreted,  283.  All  of 
them  consistent  with  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  287. 

. it  is  of  great   consequence  to 

have  them  left  us,  ii,  475.  The 
failure  of  men  dotli  not  make 
them  to  cease,  476.  The  faithful- 
ness of  God  in  them  not  to  be 
measured  by  the  faith  or  obedi- 
ence of  men,  508.  Observations 
on  the,  509. 

delaved,  a  great  exercise    to 

faith,  iv,  110. 

Properties  of  God  in  Christ,  a  mat- 
ter of  consolation  to  believers,  ii, 
107. 

Prophet,  the  Messiah  promised  to 
be  one,  i,  272.  The  character 
belongs  to  Jesus,  2r3. 

Christ,  a  greater  than  Mo- 
ses, ii,  10. 

Prophets,  how  proved  to  be  such, 
i,  69. 

Upoa-i^tiv,  its  meaning,  ii,  140. 

nfoa-Kuviiv,  its  acceptations,  ii,  76. 

Providence,  the  works  of  instruc- 
tive, ii,  385,  their  end,  388. 

Prudence,  to  be  used  by  the  dis- 
pensers of  the  gospel,  ii,  286. 

Punishments,  the  effects  of  vindic- 
tive justice,  ii,  153.  No  place 
will  secure  us  against,  383. 

Purgatory,  an  invention  of  Satan, 
iii,  182. 

Purification,  how  applied  to  heaven- 
ly things,  iii,  658. 

Puritans,  the  principal  writers  of 
the,  briefly  ciiaracterized  by  Mr. 
Hervey,  i,  34    Note, 

Purpose  of  God  in  salvation,  its 
wisdom,  iii,  261.  Consistent  with 
general  otters,  264. 

.       ^ 

Qtuntilian,  his  remarks  on  prosopo- 

peias,  i,  319- 

R. 
Rabbins,  a  saying  concerning  their 

authority,  i,  181. 
Rainbow,    Bishop,  against  the  c6r»- 

venticle  bill,  i,  31. 


4,82 


INDEX. 


Rational   divines,    Dr.   Owen's  re- 
mark on   some  being    so  called, 
i,  32. 
Reason,   its   nse  in  the  articles   of 

faith,  ii,  488. 
Reconciliation,   how  necessary,'  ii, 

273. 
Redemption,  the  sovereignty  of,  263. 
Redemption,  what  included  therein, 

iii,  584. 
Repentance,  its  nature,  iii,  110.    Its 

necessity,  1  ;4 
Rest  of  God,  what,  ii,  465.  Where- 
in it  consists,  467.    Eniering  into, 
■what,  487.    How  it  both  precedes 
and  follows  work,  499.      The  clay 
of,  altered  under  the  gospel,  5J8. 
All  true,  only  in  Christ,  525. 
Rests,  the  nature  of  several  explain- 
ed, ii.  491. 
Resurrection,    how   a   fundamental 

principle,  iii,  140. 
Revelation,  is  eminently  from  the 
Father,  ii,  26.  Gradual,  a  fruit 
of  Divine  wisdom,  30.  Of  the 
Gospel,  its  perfection,  32.  What 
a  powerful  motive  to  attend  to  it, 
145. 
Reynolds,    Bishop,    succeeds    Dr. 

Owen  in  his  deanery,  i,  25. 
Righteousness  of  God,  what,  i,  339. 
Kequii-es  the  punishment  of  sin, 
342. 
Roman  church,  not  the  proposer  of 

canonical  authority,  i,  .53. 
Rulers,   churcli    obedience  to,   en- 
joined, iv,  416. 
S. 
Sabbath,  doctrine  of  the,  discussed, 
ii,  529.     Evangelical,  first  day  of 
the  week,  539. 
Sacraments,  their  use,  iii,  458. 
Sacrifices,   their  nature    and    end, 

5,306. 
Salvation,    impossible,    but   by   the 
self-sacrifice  of  Chrisl,ii,  56.  The 
gospel,  how  a  great  one,  lt'5. 
S.Vlus  electorum.its  character,  i,  19. 

in  what  sense  is    Christ  the 

author  of,  iii,  7i?.     In   what   sense 
eternal,  73. 
Sanctification,  its  necessity,  ii,  241. 
Satan,   the  curse   afier    the  fall  re- 
spects him  principally,  i,  loO. 
— —his  power   over   death,    what, 
and  wherein  it  conslsielh,  ii,  250. 
Scaliger,   his    account  of    Daniel's 

weeks,  i,  242. 
Schlictingius,    a    gloss  of,   refuted, 
iv,  423. 


Schurman,  Anna  Maria,  Dr.Owen'5  ■ 
correspondence  with  her,  i,  35. 

Scripture,  every  thmg  in  it  instruc* 
tive,  ii,  39,  445.  Compared  with 
itself,  96.  A  firm  ground  of  faith 
and  divine  worship,  504.  Direc 
tions  to  search  it  for  our  advan- 
tage,  517. 

the  proper  way  of  interpre- 
ting, iv,  lb6. 

Scripiurists,  who,  i,  117. 

Seasons,  special,  how  lo  be  observed 
and  improved,  11,358. 

Selucidx,  the  time  of  their  reign  in 
Syria,  i,  235. 

Self-denial,  the  foundation  of  sin- 
cere profession,   iv,  161. 

Self-examination,  the  duty  of  all  pro- 
fessors, iii,  224. 

Sepher  Ikkarin,  remarkable  words 
in,  i,  272. 

Shilo,  the  term  explained,  i,  199. 
Proved  to  be  the  Messiah,  202. 

Simeon,  the  son  of  Hillel,  why  the 
latter  Jews  exclude  him  from 
their  roll,  i,  1(9. 

Sin  and  punishment  entering  the 
■world,  i,  122.  The  immediate 
eflects  of  it,  ih.  The  imputation 
of  it  held  by  some  of  the  Jews, 
125.  Original,  variously  called 
by  the  Jews,  126.  How  long  it 
continues,  127.  Could  not  be  par- 
doned   without  satisfaction,    345. 

—  its  real  demtrit,  ii,  1^0.  Its  hor- 
rid nature,  233.  lis  aggravation 
from  the  multitude  joinmg,  370. 
No  place  can  ward  off,  S83.  Per- 
sisted in,  its  aggravation,  395. 
How  to  administer  an  antidote 
against,  418. 

—  degrees  of,  iii,  13. 

—  its  gall  and  poison,  what,  iv,  84. 
How  to  form  a  right  judgment  of 
its  demerit,  89.  The  mortifica- 
tion of,  the  best  preparation  for 
trials,  296. 

Sinai,  why  chosen  for  the  promul- 
gallon  of  ihe  law  iv,  35fl. 

Sinners,  subject  to  death  as  it  is 
penal,  ii,  2:)3.  Exemplary,  made 
exemplary  in  punishment,  453. 

Sion,  believers  come  to,  iv,  368. 

Skilfulness  in  the  word  of  righteous- 
ness, what,  iii,    101. 

Slothfulness,  in  hearing  the  word, 
iii,  bo,  213.  Its  ruinous  tenden- 
cy, 2j0. 

Smalcius  Valentinus,  1,  C4. 


Index. 


48^ 


Socinian    notion    of    Christ    being 

taken  to  limven,  li,  IJ. 
■    »  notion  of  Clirist's  obluriun, 

refuic(i,  111,  jhO.    Of  his  reclemp 
tion,  586. 

conjecture  refuted,  iv,  30. 

Socinians,  their  exposition  of  Ciinsi 
muk-ng  ihe  worlds,  ii,  23.    Their 
cavils  ag-ainsl  the  giorv  of  Christ, 
refuted,    10 1.      -a   false   gloss   of 
theirs  refuted,  261. 
— — —  deny  an  expiatory  sacrifice, 
iii,  56.     Their  notion  of  Christ's 
intercession,  disproved,  401.    Of- 
fer violence  to  common  sense,  584. 
Socinus,    his    doctrine    relative    fo 
justice  and  meicy,  refuted,  i,  348. 
Against    Christ    undergoing  tiic 
penalty  due  to  us,  refuted,  35U. 
Socinus,  his  impious  assertion,  that 
Ctinsi    was   offered   for  ii  mself, 
disproved,  lii,  423,  tliat  there  was 
no  promise  of  lite  undei  Mie  Old 
Testament,  disproved,  479. 
Solifidians,  who,  iii,  225. 
Son  of  God,  often  appeared  to  the 

Patriarchs,  i,  171. 
•—  of  God,  his  excellency  and  glory, 
ii,  17  His  eternal  generation,  51. 
A  signal  name  appropriated  to 
Christ,  67.  Only  lev/  '.ten  7',. 
Of  God,  what  is  understood  there- 
by, 578. 
Song,  one  used  by  the  Jews  on  the 

evening  of  the  sabb.ith,  i.  159. 
Sovereignty  of  God  in  making  dif- 
ference  among  believer.s,  iii,  312. 
Spanheniius,   his  confutation  of  Ca- 

mero,  i,  72. 
Sprinkling,     a      Divinely  instituted 
sign  ol  covenant  benefits  commu 
nicaied,  iii,  628. 

blood    of,   why   so   called,    iv, 

380. 
Sufferings  of  Christ,   how  necessa- 
ry, ii,  211.       i  or  the  gospel,  how 
honorrihie,    227;     profitable     and 
safe,  228. 
— — —  of  Chri.st,  the  gener.il  causes 
of  them,  iii,  41.     Their  elTccts.  45. 
Inslruclivc,    when    according   to 
God's   will,  69       God's  love  pre- 
vents  not  his  people  to  undergo 
tfiem.  69. 
Sureti-ship  of  Christ,  the  security  of 

the  new  covenant,  iii,  3 JO, 
Surety  differs  from  a  Mediator,  iii, 
381.      What.    3P5.      Christ  the, 
of  the  new  covenant,  how,  386. 


S)  nan  account  of  the  Grecian  em- 
pire, I,  234. 

T. 

Tabernacle,  Christ  the  true,  iii, 
441.  Structure  and  furniture  of 
tlic,  explained,  510. 

Taciui,'*,  his  lestimony  about  the 
t.me  of  Christ's  death,  i,  259. 

Talmud,  JiirusaLm,  compiled  by 
Rabbi  Johannan,  i.  111.  Babylo- 
nian,  by  llabbi  Asa,  ib.  Contents 
of  I  lie,  ih. 

Taigums,  the  import  of  the  phrase 
'♦the   Word  of  God,"  in  the  i,  163. 

Teaching,  what  sort  of,  tinder  the 
Old  Testameii',  lii,  515  Obser- 
vations on,  523. 

T«A«o»    Its   signiijcaiion    explained, 

■,    13  5. 

TeKuua-K,  ;ts  import,  iii,  331 

Teiiiiie,  :e  giory  of  the  second, 
v\luu,  ,210. 

Tempiatic.,-,  their  dai;ger  and  re- 
lief, li,  275 

Testament,  howdistingnislted  from 
a  covenant,  iii,  615.  j>/ew>  where- 
in like  tiiose  of  men,  618.  Where- 
in unlike,  lb. 

Tlieodoret,  his  remark  concerning 
moi-  regis    i,  312. 

QiOAoyou/Aiva,  Dr.  Owen's  book  so 
tailed  i   25. 

0«5f,  reniark.,  on,  ii,  11)2. 

Inreateiuiig!,,  evan^^^e Ileal,  ii,  154, 
Of  God,  ilKir  siabiliiy,   R9. 

Tithes,  whether  necessary  by  the 
iiglit  of  nature,  is.  28r. 

I'ravail  of  the  lledetii  er's  soul,  ob- 
servations on,  i;i,  52. 

Trinil\,  personal  tiaiis:iciions  con- 
cerning man  in  the,  i,  3U9 

Types,  remarks  on  the,  ii,  71,  355. 
U. 

Vindiciaeevangelicx,  its  character, 
i,  2-i. 

Virgin,  the  term  vindicated  against 
the  exeepiions  of  the  Jews,  ,  269. 

Unbelief,  m  a  time  of  trial  a  pro- 
voking sin,  ii,  C.7^.  When  it  nseth 
to  Its  height.  376.  A  tempting 
of  God,  when,  3;,1.  Negative  and 
privative,  4;'3.  How  it  operates, 
40".  Tiie  root  of  backslidings, 
415.  All.  accompanied  with  re- 
bellion. 457.  Glorihes  the  great- 
est seventies  of  God,  458.  The 
oath  of  God  engaged  ;u'-..  ..st  it, 
459.     Ohservaiions  on,  461 

the  great  danger  of,  iv,  254. 


VOL.   IV 


61 


484 


INDEX, 


Unbelief,  the  duty  of   ministers    to 

declare  it,  3^0. ' 
Union   witii   Ohiist,  the  principal  of 

spiritual  enjoyments,  ii,  430.  The 

great,  evidence  thereof',  what,  431. 

Of  our  nature,    o   the  person  of 

Christ  as  hig^h  priest,  a  standing 

perpetual  advantage  to  the  church, 

581. 
Universe,     momentarily   supported 

bv  Christ,  ii,  53. 
Voice    of  <iod    irresistible  without 

final  hardening",  ii,  o53. 
Utensils  of  the  most  holy  place,  iii, 

499. 

W. 
Watchfulness,  the  duty  of,   ii,  411. 
Whoremongers,     and      adulterers, 

their  doom,  iv,  415. 
Wife,  Dr.  Owen's  first,  her  charac- 
ter, 1, 17.  Note.      His  second,  her 

character,  38.  Note. 
Wilderness,  no  security  against  sin 

or  punishment,  ii,  383. 
Wilkins,    Bishop,   against  the  con- 

ven'icle  bill,  i,  .31-    His  friendship 

to  Dr.  Owen,  35. 
Will  of  the   Fatlier  and  Son,  how 


concur  in  making  the  covenant, 
i,  332. 

Wisdom  of  Solomon,  St.  Jerome's 
opinion  of  the,  i,  67.  Used  for  an 
iiiieliigen.  person,  317. 

Wond,  Anthon\,  his  character  of 
Dr.  Owen,  i.  39. 

Word  of  God,  what  it  imports,  i, 
163.  The  notions  of  the  philoso- 
j)!i..'rs  and  Mahometans  about  it, 
1^4.    Note. 

—  the  danger  of  losing  it,  ii,  142. 
1  s  steadfastness,  162.  Its  eflica- 
cy,  353. 

Word  of  righteousness,  God  re- 
quires that  Christians  should  be 
skilful  in  the,  ii,  101.  Of  the 
gospel  is  food  provided  for  men's 
souls,  104.  What  necessary  to 
make  it  profitable,  219. 

Worship,  on  what  founded,  ii,  84. 

evangelical,  its  glor_\ ,  iii,  344. 

How  God  is  glorified  by  n,  459. 

York,  Duke  of,  his  discourses  with 
D.  Owen,  i,  34. 
Z. 
Zmv,  remarlrs  on,  ii,  548.^ 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


It  may  probably  occur,  that  the  last  clause  of  chap,  vi,  6,  is  not 
insisted  upon  in  the  Exposition;  but  the  reason  is,  that  nothing 
is  said  on  it  in  the  original,  (and  if  the  omission  was  out  cf  de- 
sign) it  is  presumed,  that  the  Doctor  thought  that  the  clause 
was  already  sufficiently  explained  in  the  words — ^'■FaU  away,"—- 
and  that — '•'•Seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God 
afresh.,  at:d  fiui  him  to  an  ofien  shame,*'' — is  only  exegetical  of  the 
former:  for  what  is  it  to  fall  away  from  Christianity?  It  is,  in 
effect,  to  justify  the  barbarous  conduct  of  the  Redeemer's  cru- 
cifiers;  ui.rt  by  evident  implication  to  repeat  the  same  thing; 
and  the  consideration  would  be  still  more  striking  to  those  who 
were  any  ways  concerned  in  his  actual  sufferings.  There  is 
no  mediui'i  in  this  case,  between  owning  Christ  as  a  Savior,  and 
regarding  inm  os  worthy  of  crucifixion.  And  the  impossibility 
of  .-eclaimii^u  such  total  o^os/ares,  appears,  when  we  consider 
WHO  it  is  h  ai  whom  they  fall  away,  viz.  the  glorious  Son  of 
God,  and  only  Savior  of  sinners. 


TABLE  OF  TEXTS, 


MORE    OR    LESS    ILLUSTRATED    IN    THIS    WORK. 


GENESIS. 

Chap.  Ver.   Vol.  Page. 

1  26,27  I  309 

2  1  i  ISO 

2  \7   1  123 

3  15  1  153 

3  8,  9  I  163 

4  3—5  4  128 

4  10  4  '.33 

5  29  4  148 

6  5  1  125 
9  26  3  275 

12  1—3  1  149 

12  2  4  \S7 

12  2,  3  3  235 

14  18  3  277 

14  19,  20  3  284 

14  20  1  301 

18  18  1  149 

18  1—3  I  165 
22  12  4  197 
22  18  1  140 
24  17  i  277 
28  12 — 15  2  128 
28  20—22  1  163 
32  24,26,30  1  166 
35  21  1  153 
41  45  1  301 
44  12   4 

48  17—19  2  48 

49  12  4 
49  1—10  1  153 
49  3—8  1  200 
49  8—10    1    196 

49  10  3  472 

50  25   4  219 

EXODUS. 

3  2—6    1    168 

3  14  4    145 

12  113  320 

12  42    I    153 

13  10  4  216 

19  18—20    !    169 

19  19  4  361,365 


[]hap. 

Ver.  Vol.  Page. 

20 

2,3  2   317 

23 

14    1    i73 

23 

20—22    1    i69 

23 

21    1    173 

24 

2—4  2  371 

25 

31    3   536 

26 

33,34  3  538,542 

29 

2—4  2   371 

29 

16 — 21   4     57 

31 

17  2   532 

40 

9—11   2   308 

LEVITICUS. 

4 

3   3  425 

4 

17  2     59 

16 

12,  13  3  404 

16 

14  3   553 

NUMBERS. 

6 

22—27   3   2«5 

n 

7  2   283 

14 

22  2   340 

14 

34  2   508 

19 

2   3   588 

19 

17,  'H   3  589 

24 

17    I    261 

27 

3  2  441 

DEUTERONOMY. 

4  24  4   398 

5  2   2    149 

17  18,  19  4      30 

18  15  2  6 
18  15 — 19  1  155 
21  22  3  54 
29  18  4  341 
29  28  2     88 

JOSHUA. 

1  5  4  38? 

5  13—15  1  171 

10  34  2  115 

24  2,  3  3  242,  276 

24  19  1  170 

29  19  2  230 


486 

A 

Ta&^e 

of  Texts  Illustrated 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol.  Page. 

Psal. 

Ver.  Vo; 

LPage. 

JUDGES. 

80 

15 

1 

155 

4 

10  2 

216 

84 

7 

3 

206 

89 

27 

2 

18 

RUTH. 

89 

30 

2 

71 

3 

15   1 

155 

91 

12 

1 

126 

97 

7 

2 

79 

I.  SAMUFT.. 

102 

2 

100 

2 

3  2 

456 

105 

7—11 

2 

33t 

2 

20   i 

154 

110 

4 

1 

300 

3 

i4  4 

75 

119 

18 

2 

446 

4 

22  2 

42 

119 

70 

1 

126 

138 

2 

2 

445 

II.  SAMUEL. 

139 

2,3 

2 

343 

7 

14  2 

70 

140 

2 

2 

385 

22 

39   2 

115 

^3 

3   1 

151 

Chafi 

.     PROVERBS. 

2 

2—5 

2 

175 

JOB. 

8 

13 

2 

200 

5 

23    1 

:329 

8 

22—31 

1 

317 

18 

14   2 

195 

30 

17 

1 

203 

19 

25    1 

151 

30 

19 

1 

269 

26 

13   4 

i24 

26 

14  2 

31 

ECCLESIASTES. 

9 

14 

1 

126 

PSALMS. 

2 

2    ; 

155 

CANTICLES. 

2 

7   2 

112 

2 

17 

3 

335 

2 

8    1 

151 

2 

7    i 

326 

ISAIAH. 

8 

6  2 

115 

2 

2—4 

1 

150—387 

18 

2   2 

239 

4 

2 

I 

151 

19 

2 

104 

5 

1,2 

2 

362—389 

82 

1    3 

41 

6 

9,  10 

2 

366 

2S 

1—22    1 

276 

7 

10—16 

i 

:<j66 

S2 

22  x; 

^39 

8 

18 

2 

^40 

22 

30    i 

279 

9 

1,2 

2 

479 

30 

3   3 

4.1 

9 

6 

1 

158 

40 

7,  8    1 

Ji;4 

9 

7 

2 

93 

40 

7,  8  3 

63 

11 

1 

1 

158 

45 

2    1 

155 

11 

10 

1 

151 

45 

6,  7  2 

91—96 

;                  16 

1—5 

1 

159 

45 

7  2 

145 

19 

25 

1 

152 

51 

i7   4 

413 

28 

5 

1 

159 

69 

20  2 

583 

28 

21 

2 

454 

69 

20  4 

94 

32 

17 

4 

00 

69 

22  2 

306 

35 

7 

2 

44 

70 

2  3 

37 

42 

2 

3 

51 

72 

6  2 

.39 

42 

4 

1 

152 

74 

2  3 

:«79 

42 

8 

2 

81-6 

78 

61  2 

42 

43 

1—7 

1 

324 

A  Table  of  Texts  Illustrated. 


487 


Chap. 

Ver.  Vol.  Page. 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol.  Page. 

43 

1—10    1    \5» 

43 

9    1    173 

HABAKKUK. 

46 

6    1      50 

2 

3,  4  4   103 

46 

8    1   279 

49 

6    1    132 

HAGGAI. 

51 

17  2     23 

2 

3—9    1   205 

52 

13   1    159—077 

2 

6,  7  4  391 

53 

1    183,277 

53 

6   3     46 

ZECHARIAH. 

53 

10  4      28 

3 

8    I    160 

53 

11    2   311 

3 

9  2   44—98 

55 

4  2   214 

6 

13    1   300,  332 

59 

4,5   1      23 

9 

9    1   279 

62 

3  4   193 

63 

9    1    173 

MALACHI. 

63 

19  2  530 

3 

1    1    >73,  216 

3 

1,2  2     76 

JEREMIAH. 

23 

5    1    159 

MATTHEW. 

23 

13-15    I    159 

5 

16  3  207 

30 

21    1    159 

5 

17  3   366 

31 

31—33    1    256 

5 

33 — 37   3  247 

31 

31_34  3  484,  ScC. 

10 

37,38   4   161 

11 

11  2      17 

EZEKIEL. 

11 

23  2  391 

23 

31  3     84 

11 

27  2  293 

36 

25,  26  4     57 

I  I 

29,30  3  339 

47 

2    145 

12 

20  2   561 

16 

3  2  367 

DANIEL. 

16 

24,  25  4   161 

9 

2-    I    280 

19 

23,24  4  287 

9 

2ii,  26    1     153 

20 

28    1   298 

9 

24—27    I    2l8 

22 

44  2    110 

9 

27   2        4 

26 

26  3     85 

12 

10  2   363 

25 

34  4   194 

27 

46  3     42 

HOSE/V. 

28 

18   2     21 

J 

7    1    143  Abfe.280 

28 

20  2  350 

3 

5    1    160 

14 

2   i  414 

LUKE. 

14 

3  2   189 

2 

4  2     15 

14 

8    1    160 

3 

23    1   263 

10 

16  2  371 

MICAH. 

12 

32   4  396 

2 

13   2   216 

19 

41,  42  2   364 

4 

8   1    J60 

19 

43,44  2   365 

5 

2   1    160—264 

22 

31,32   2  573 

5 

4  3  215 

22 

44  3     47 

488 


A  Table  of  Texts  Illustrated, 


Chap.  Ver.  Vol.  Page. 
JOHN. 

1  3  2     23  JVole. 

1  14  2      19 

1  17  2      15 

1  18  ^^  292 

1  51   2    128 

2  20   1   206 

3  34  2  292 
6  4  2  208 
6  32  3  439 

r  16  2     28     " 

S  6  2  240 

12  32  2  251 

12  34  3  394 

14  2»   1   330 

\7  2    I   350 

19  30  3  333 

ACTS. 

2  18—80  2  359 

2  21   2  361 

2  23,24  3  422 

2  36  2     21 

5  41   2  228 

16  14  2   138—141 


ROMANS. 

1  4  2     63 

r  14,  15  2  233 

1  16  4   193 

1  32  2    150 

S  25  2  273 

4  16  3  608 

4  18 — 21   3  229 

5  12   1    192 

6  4  2     22  JVote. 

6  13   2   142 

7  1—6  3  369 

8  19—22  2  36 
8  29  2  227 
8  35 — 39   2  496 

8  37  2  223 

9  33  3     6f 

11  36  2     22  Mte. 

12  1  2     99 
14  9  2  315 

14  17  3  334 

15  5  2       4 


Chap.  Ver,  Vol.  Page. 
I.  CORINTHIANS. 

1  .7  1  74 

2  5—7  1  61 
2  6  3  109 
2  9  3  388 
2  13  1  75 

2  14  2  518 

3  6,  7  2  139 

4  9  2  132 
11  10  2  132 

II.  CORINTHIANS. 

2  16  2  157 
4  6  2  41 
4  17  4  326 
4  18  2  142 
t  9  4  329 
8  9  2  200 

10  6  2    157 

U  25    1      89 

GALATIANS. 

3  15  3  617 
3  19  3  369 
3  20  3  463 

3  19—24*3  471 

4  6  2  41 
4  29  4   132 

EPHESIANS. 

1  8,9   2      27 

I  10  2     21 

1  22   2      19 

2  8  2  164 
2  12  8  467 
2  14 — 17  3  335 

2  15  3  627 

3  9  2  26 
3  10  2  125 
3  17  3   103 

3  18,  19  3     66 

4  2  2  208 

4  16  2  414 

5  11  3  111 
5  26  2     4r 

PHILIPPIANS. 

2  5   2  201 

2  6  2     313          .45- 


A  Table  of  Texts  Ilhisiraied. 


489 


Chap. 

Ver.Vol.P.ge. 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol.  Page. 

3 

9— -11   2     35 

2 

2  3     93 

4 

13  2  220 

2 

3  4   114 

2 

5  2   309 

COLOSSIANS. 

3 

20    1      81 

1 

6  2      43 

3 

21,  22  4    151 

1 

15   2      41—78 

4 

1    2  201 

1 

19  2      15—292 

4 

14  2   497 

1 

26  2      26 

5 

4  2  312 

2 

3  2    146 

2 

9   3   440s  442,515 

II.  PETER. 

2 

15  2   574 

1 

4  4  324 

2 

17  4       4 

1 

21    1      64 

2 

18  2    134 

2 

5  4    148 

8 

2  2  363 

I. 

THESSALONIANS. 

3 

4  3  243 

1 

3  3   195 

3 

15,  16   1   82—84 

2 

7  3      13 

4 

18  2  422 

I.  JOHN. 

I.  TIMOTHY. 

2 
4 

2    1    298 
16  2     29 

2 

5,  6   3  381,462 

5 

3   2     98 

3 

16    1    178 

5 

4  2  223 

4 

4—8   2     37 

5 

6 

2  2   132 
8  4  418 

II.  JOHN. 

1 

9  2  410 

3 

II.  TIMOTHY. 

7  2  285 

JUDE. 

3 

12  3     68 

3  2       9 
6   1    131 

TITUS. 

9   3  457 

1 

16  2  397 

3 

5  2     47 

REVELATION. 

1 

1   2      12 

JAMES. 

1 

8—13  2  318 

1 

15   3    111 

J 

18  2  547 

1 

21   3     85 

\ 

18  3  251 

1 

24  2   484 

5 

6  2      50 

2 

18   3   207 

5 

9,  10  4   376 

2 

20  3   224 

5 

13  2      35 

5 

10  8   234 

10 

6  2   378 

^ 

12  2  247 

13 

8  3  648 

14 

6—8  2  361 

I.  PETER. 

32 

2  3   184 

1 

23  3   164 

SUBSCRIBERS'S  NAMES. 


NEW    HAMPSHIRE. 

R6v   John  H.  Church,  Pelham. 

Rsv.SethChapin,  Hillsborough. 

Rev.  Aaron  Hall.  Keene, 

Rev.  Richard  Hall,  New  Ips- 
wich 

Rev   Ebenezer  Hill,  Mason. 

Rev  Samuel  Harris,  Windham. 

Cyrus  Mann,  Tutor,  Dart.  Col- 
lege, Hanover. 

Rev.  Wiiiiani  Morrison,  Lon- 
doiiderry. 

Rev,  Gad  Newell,  Packersfield 

Rev.  Affer Pratt,  Westmorland. 

Rev.  Josiah  Prentice,  North- 
wood. 

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donderry. 

Rev.  Received  Page,  Hancock. 

Rev.  Joseph  Rowell,  Cornish. 

Rev.  John  Sabia,  Fitzwilliam. 

Rev  Roswell  Shurtkff,  Prof. 
TheoU  Dart.  College. 

Rev.  William  F.  Rowland,  Ex- 
eter. 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Clary,  Dover. 


VERMONT. 


Dorus  Bascom,  Esq. 

Rev.  Henry  Davis,  D.D.  Pres. 
Mid.  College. 

Rev.  John  Griswold,  Pawlet. 

Rev.  John  Hough,  Vergennes. 

Rev.  Josiah  Hopkins,  New  Ha- 
ven. 

Rev.  Daniel  Kent,  Benson. 

Rev.  Mason  Knapper,  Orwell. 

Charles  Marsh,  Esq.  Wood- 
stock. 

Elijah  Smith,  Esq.  Castleton. 


RHODE  ISLAND. 

Rev.  Caleb  J  Tenney,  Newport. 
Rev.  Henry  Wight,  Bristol. 


Ebenezer     Burgess,      Tutor, 
Brown  Uni.  Providence. 

CONNECTICUT. 

Rev.  William  Andrews,  Wind- 
ham. 
R(  V.  Salmon  Cone,  Colchester. 
Eiiphalet  B  Colman,  Milford. 
Joseph  W  Crosman,  Salisbury. 
Herman  Humphreys,  Fairfield. 
Rev.  John  Hyde,  Franklin. 
Daniel  Hubbard,  Colchester. 
Beers  &  Howe,  New  Haven,20 

copies. 
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bury. 
Mark  Mead,  Middlebury. 
Rev.  Samuel  J.  Mills,  Torring- 
ford. 
Abel  McEwen,   New  Lon- 
don. 
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chester. 
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Caleb  Pitkin,  Milford. 
Rev.  Noah  Porter,  Farmington. 
Guy  Richards,  New  London. 
William  L.  Strong-  Somers. 
Rev.  Elijah  Waterman,  Bridge- 
port. 
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bury. 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

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Thomas  Andros,  Berkley. 

Jesse  Appleton,D.D.  Pres. 
Bowd.  Coll. 

Barnabas  Bates.  Barnsta- 
ble. 

Jonatlian  Burr,  Sandwich. 

James  Barnaby,Barnstable 

Winthrop  Bailey,    Bi'uns- 
Avick. 

I^uclus  Bowles,  Salem. 

Ebenezer  Briggs,  Middle- 
borough. 
Clark  Chandler,  Esq.  Colraih. 


Subscribers^s  Names. 


Rev.  Thomas  Conant,  Marsh- 
field. 
Thomas     Crafts,   Middle- 
borough. 
Rev-  Joshua  Dodge,  Haverhill. 
Timothy  Davis,Wellfleet. 
Col.  William  Eager,  Northbor- 

ough. 
Rev.  Brown  Emerson,  Salem. 

Joseph  Emerson,  Beverly. 
Elijah  Elmes,  Taunton. 
Rev.    Ebenezer    Fitch,    D.D. 
Pres.  Williams'  College. 
Edward  D.   Griffin,  D,D' 

Boston. 
Joseph  Goffe,  Sutton. 
Josiah  W,  Gibbs,  Salem. 
Rev.     Robert  Hubbard,   Shel- 

burn. 
Henry  Homes,  Boston. 
Daniel  Lang,  Salem. 
Rev   Asa  Lyman,  Portland. 
Capt.  Jeremiah  Mayhew,  New 

Bedford. 
Rev.  Samuel  Osgood,  Spring- 
field. 
Samuel  Parker,  Ashfield. 
David  Palmer,  Townsend. 
Thomas  Punderson,  Pitts- 
field. 
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Capt.  Joseph  Richmond,  Mid- 

dleborough. 
Rev.   Luther  Sheldon,  Easton, 
Samuel  Stearns,  Bedford. 
Jonathan  Strong,Randolph 
Richard  S.  Storrs,  Brain- 
tree. 
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James  W.Tucker,Rowley. 
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Rev.    Benjamin  Tappan,  Au- 
gusta. 
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Salem. 
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Edward  Whipple,  Charl- 


Dea.  John  Wright,  Concord. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  W.  Williams^ 
Salem, 

Thomas  Williams,  Weymouth, 

Rev.Sam.W.Colburn,  Taunton. 

Charles  Cleveland,  Charles- 
town. 

Rev.  Chester  Dewry,  Prof.  Nat. 
Phi.  8c  Mat.  Will.  Coll. 

Isaac  Davis,  Northborough. 

Dea.  John  Dike,  Beverly. 

ANDOVER, 

Theological  Institution;  4  cop« 
Rev.  Leonard  Woods,  D.D. 

Moses  Stuart, 

Ebenezer  Porter, 
Burr  Baldwin, 
John  Bascom, 
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Alfred  Mitchel,  , 

Enos  Merrill, 
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Samuel  Nott, 
Ephriam  H,  Newton, 
Nathaniel  J.  K.  Oliver- 
David  Oliphant, 
Josiah  Peet, 
Daniel  Poor, 
Thaddeus  Pomeroy, 
Luther   Rice, 


VOL.    IV 


62 


Subscribers^s  Names. 


l^enjamin  Rice, 

Ezekiel  Rich, 
Ebenezer  Speny, 
Benjamin  SLock':on, 
Julius  Steel, 
David  M.  Smith, 
Miles  P,   Squier, 
Jacob  Vosburgh, 
James  Wakeman, 
Edward  Warren, 
Francis  D,  Wait, 
Sylvester  Woodbridge, 
Timothy  Woodbridge, 
Simon  Woodruff, 
Hervey  Wilbur. 

NEW  YORK. 

Whiting  &  Watson,  125  copies. 
Rev.  E.'  Hyde,  Oxford. 

J.  T.  Benedict,  Franklin. 

Artemas  Dean,         do. 

Reuben  Sears,  Ballstown. 

Stephen  Porter,       do. 

Oliver  Ayer,   Bloomfield. 

Darius  O.  Griswold,  do. 

James  Johnson,  Potsdam. 
Benjamin   Raymond,  Esq    do. 

NEW  JERSEY. 

Elijah  Boudinot,  Newark. 
Rev.  Hooper  Gumming,  do. 
Joseph  Clark,  D.D.  New 
Brunswick, 
^ewis  Punham,  do. 


John  C.  Hornblower,  Newark, 

William.  A.  McDowel,  Prince- 
ton. 

John  \eilson,New  Brunswick. 

William  Lawson,  do. 

Rev.  James  Richards,  Newark. 

Elijah  Slack,  Trenton. 

Rev.  Samuel  S.  Smith,  D.D, 
for  the  College. 

J.  Simpson,  New   Brunswick. 

Rev.  William  Patterson,     do, 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

B.  B.  Hopkins,    Philadelphia, 

12  copies. 
Thomas  &    William  Bradford, 

2  copies  do. 

Robert  Ralston,  Esq. 
Rev.  John  Joyce. 
John  N.  Campbell, 
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Alexander  Henry. 

SOUTH  CAROmNA. 

Gen.   Charles    C.    Pinckney, 
Charleston. 


Samuel  T.  Armstrong,  Printer, 
No.  50,  Cornhill,  Boston, 


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